You're Mine: Sequel
by KatPeeta22
Summary: This is the sequel to You're Mine. When two people break out of jail and kidnap Elizabeth, Ben and Mason, Katniss and the entire family freak out. After three months, Katniss starts having weird dreams that leads her to the doorstep of someone's family. There she uncovers some secrets and finds her her daughter and nephews The story will go on after she finds them early.
1. Chapter 1

**You have to read you're Mine before reading this or your going to be confused. **

"Katniss wake up now!" My hour is being shaken. I push the hand away, but then someone slaps me. I know Peeta is at the bakery, along with all the guys. I don't hear the familiar giggles of the three toddlers, Elizabeth, my daughter who is one, my nephew, Ben, who is one, and my nephew Mason, who is one.  
I groan and force my eyes open.  
The house is deathly silent. Annie is standing at me bedside with Johanna next to her.  
"What?" I throw the covers off me and walk down the hall to check on Elizabeth.  
The room is empty.  
"Ben and Mason are gone." Johanna says.  
"The guys probably have them." I walk into my room and pull on jeans and a t-shirt.  
"How are you so damn calm with the fact your daughter is missing?" Johanna snaps.  
"She's not missing. Peeta probably has her." I walk downstairs and out the back door.  
I hop on my horse and ride off. They get on theirs and follow me.  
I walk right into the bakery and to the back.  
"Oh good your up-where's Elizabeth?" Peeta asks. I stare at him.  
"You don't have her?" I demand.  
"No. You know I tell you when I'm bringing her with me baby." He kisses my cheek. "Why do you look so scared?" He asks.  
"Because I don't have her." I reply.  
"And I don't have Mason." Johanna says.  
"And I don't have Ben."

UNKNOWN POV

"Shhh! She'll wake up!" I smack the back of his blonde head and he smack me back.  
I sneak into Elizabeth's room and take her, along with the diaper bag. She's fast asleep.  
Then we run down the street and take Ben, and then Mason.  
Then, we bolt for the car.  
Those bitches. This is what they get for getting Cato and I locked in jail.

**Yeah this was entirely short but I think it's enough to make you scream.****  
****Disclaimer: I don't own anything****  
****-KatPeeta22**


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't fucking believe this!" I'm crying, pacing around the living room with Johanna and Annie who are in the exact same state I'm in.  
It's been three days and they're not here.  
The family is, but they're not.  
"I'm sure they'll turn up-" Mom tries.  
"Would you fucking stop it!" I lash out at a lamp and it shatters against the wall.  
They don't bother trying to stop me.  
"I'm going to kill someone. I don't fucking care if I get thrown in jail." I snarl.  
They refuse to let me call the cops because word will get out and the fame will be at my feet in a second.  
"Wait..." An idea flickers in my head and grows to a flame. "You don't want me to call the cops because if the fame." I say. Finn and Peeta don't nod because they do want me to call the cops, along with Johanna and Annie. "If someone has seen them...lets offer a million dollars to the person that finds them first." I say. Peeta sits up.  
"That could work." He says.  
I ignore my mothers protest and dial 911.  
"911 what is your emergency?"  
"Someone kidnapped my daughter and two nephews." I say.  
"How long have they been gone?"  
"Three days and I've already contacted everyone I know." I say.  
"What is your name and address?" She asks, sounding sorrowful.  
"Katniss Mellark." Her gasp is audible. I tell her the address and hang up on her.

UNKNOWN POV

"Gale if they find us-"  
"Oh fuck off Cato. They won't." Elizabeth starts crying again so I slap her and duct tape her mouth shut.  
They'll never find us in our families basement.

KATNISS'S POV

Two months later. My heart has an aching hole in it and I'm depressed beyond words. Johanna and Annie look no better. The police gave up and told us they're dead.  
The media is freaking out.

"Shut up Cato! She won't find out! Would you stop!" Gale punches Cato in the face. Cato punches him back.  
I can see my daughter and nephews in the background.  
And that's when the idea pops into mind.

...zzzz...

"WAKE UP!" I scream, waking everyone in the house, our entire family still here.  
"What?" Peeta's turned bitter and our relationship is walking on thread. I'm bitter too.  
"I have two suspects." I say. Johanna, Annie, Finn and Peeta stare intensely at me. "Cato and Gale." Gasps fill the room.  
"No Katniss. They're in jail." Peeta shakes his head.  
"Well you can say whatever the duck you want. I'm tired of waiting for someone to bring my daughter home. I'm going to go find her."  
I walk out if the house and slam the door.  
Johanna and Annie follow me.  
I hop on my horse and shoot down the dirt road, right to my destination.  
I hop off and walk right to the front door and bang loudly.  
Hazelle Hawthorne pulls the door open.  
She silently steps aside. Johanna, Annie and I file in.  
"I am so sorry." Hazelle has tears in her eyes. "I can't imagine your pain."  
I swallow my fear, the tears filling my eyes that can't seem to leave them.  
She hugs me.  
"Gale." I pull away.  
"I thought that too." I don't even have to explain. "But he's in jail." She shakes her head.  
"How do you know?" I say. "He could have broken out." I say.  
"If he did Katniss..." She shakes her head. "We can't get into the basement. Rory thinks its a rat."  
She disappears upstairs without a word.  
I walk right to the basement door and jiggle the handle. It's locked.  
I narrow my eyes and turn to the girls. Johanna angrily giggles the lock.  
Nothing.  
"Stay here. I'll be back."  
I run out of the house and gallop home as fat as I can.  
I burst into the house and run right upstairs and grab my now and arrows and run right back downstairs.  
I think everyone knows I'm onto something, because they get up and chase me.  
I gallop back and run right inside.  
Hazelle is joined us.  
"May I break your door?" I demand.  
"By all means." She says. She looks anxious.  
"Wait..." I turn to her. "If...what I want is down there and Gale gives a hard time..." I clear my throat. "I will shoot him." I say.  
She says nothing.  
My family is crowded around.  
I don't hesitate to shoot the lock.  
The door flies open.  
I hear silence down there. Wait.  
I move closer to the door. I hear whimpering.  
Johanna grabs my arm.  
"You go first. Your armed." She says. I load my bow and flick the light on with the tip.  
The whimpering gets louder.  
I walk right downstairs.  
It's a trap.  
I see diapers all over the floor and it smells like poop.  
I see Mason first, then Ben, then Elizabeth. All three of their mouths are duct taped shut. They look terrified.  
But I know Gale and Cato are here.  
"Do you two honestly think I'm that fucking stupid? You better show yourselves now. I'm going to flicking kill your asses anyways."  
Nothing. Both even movement.  
I can hear them yelling above ground.  
I run over to the window and see them running away.  
Nobody comes downstairs. I can hear them shifting uncomfortably.  
I bend down in front if Elizabeth and gently remove the duct tape, doing the same for Mason and then Ben.  
They don't even cry.  
I lift Elizabeth into my arms.  
"Good news." My voice is quiet. "Gale and Cato ran off. And I'm holding Elizabeth right now."  
Seconds later, Johanna and Annie come barreling down the stairs. Elizabeth looks petrified, clutching my shirt. Her cheek is red and swollen. Nothing a little ice can't fix.  
Ben and Mason look the same.  
Peeta and Finn slowly come downstairs.  
She looks so scared that I can't help but start crying.  
I'm used to Peeta not comforting me anymore.  
But he does. He wipes my tears and kisses my forehead.  
"Mama?" Elizabeth whispers.  
"I'm right here baby, Mama's right here." I whisper.  
That's when her crying starts.  
Peeta leads me up the stairs. Hazelle is on the phone.  
Elizabeth is skinny. I go right outside and start to walk home. Peeta holds the horses reins and follows me.  
I go right inside and start getting all of Elizabeth's favorite foods.  
I can still breast feed. She does on and off.  
I feed her gentle foods and give her tons of milk and water.  
And then I carry her upstairs and give her a bath. She screams when my hand brushes her cheek.  
I wrap her in a towel and put on a breath diaper and a clean one of her shirts.  
I carry her back downstairs and get an ice pack and go to te couch and sit down, adjusting her in my arms and icing her cheek. She's still whimpering. Her hand is holding onto my hair. She stares up at me.  
She looks scared to fall asleep. Peeta watches me silently.  
I miss him so much. I miss his touch and his voice and his laughter and his nagging that pisses me off so much.  
Elizabeth drifts off but wakes up the second I go to put her down. She silences when Peeta takes her.  
I go upstairs and take a shower.  
I cry my eyes out the entire time.  
I get dressed in my shirt, which I hate, and my sweatpants, which I hate.  
I go back downstairs.  
"Have you been crying?" Mom instantly demands.  
"No." I lie. Peeta doesn't even look up.  
"Yes you have." Prim says.  
"No I haven't."  
"Yes you have." Peeta says. He looks up at me. He doesn't even have to. "I can hear it in your voice. What's wrong?"  
"Nothing," I sit down across from him. Johanna isn't here and neither is Annie or Finn.  
"Katniss don't lie to me." Peeta says.  
"I'm not." I ignore everyone and fiddle with my fingers.  
"Well I'm going home." Rye says.  
"And we're staying with you." Mom says.  
They all disappear.  
Peeta goes upstairs and I drop my head into my knees.  
He's probably going to divorce me.  
I'm shocked when I feel two hands on my arms. Two hands that sends heat and sparks up, spreading through my body.  
"Katniss." He whispers. "Talk to me. Please." He sits down across from me.  
I lift my head and stare at my fingers.  
"I just..." My eyes are filling with tears. "Just really miss you. We never do anything. I know your going to divorce me. You hate my because its my fault out daughter got kidnapped. You hate me for it. I'm so sorry Peeta. I still love you more than you could ever know. Peeta..." I drop my head back int I knees and hold back tears.  
"I don't hate you. I love you Katniss. I'm sorry for everything. And that wasn't your fault  
I would never divorce you. And I know how much my love me back I love you even more." He's in front if me again. "I miss you. I miss your laugh and your smile and your touch and your lips." His thumb rubs across my lower lip. "And it's killing me without you." He sits down next to me. "I love you." He whisper.  
"I love you too." My head is still down. He tilts my chin up to meet his eyes.  
"Don't cry." He whispers.  
"I'm sorry." My chin is trembling.  
His lips gently brush against mine.  
"Don't be." He mumbles. He kisses me again.  
Nearly ten minutes later, we're forced to break apart from our passionate make out session because Elizabeth starts screaming upstairs.

**So yeah that whole thing with the kidnapping was just to get me a starting point so that's why it was so short.****  
****Disclaimer: I don't own anything****  
****-KatPeeta22**


	3. Chapter 3

We did let her sleep in her crib last night, because we kind if destroyed the bed and we were being a bit loud.  
We weren't quiet in the shower this morning, either.  
"We need to-" he tickles my sides and I start laughing.  
"Peeta! Stop!" I nudge his hands away but he just wraps his arms around me from behind and pulls me against his chest. I'm only in my push-up bra and panties and one of his t-shirts. He kisses my neck.  
"I love you." He says.  
"I love you too." I sigh, content, and lean into him. Johanna called the cops last night and told them that we found the kids and the Gale and Cato did it and they're on the run. They're looking for them.  
"Dance with me." He says, spinning me around so my chest is pressed against his. "We don't need music, let's just dance." He whispers. He pulls me close and we dance all around our bedroom.  
"If Rye, Graham, Kegan and Justice see this room..." I look around at the clothing discarded all around and the blankets spread.  
"So what." Peeta says. He twirls me around.  
I lean into his bare chest and shut my eyes.  
No words are needed.

...kkkkkk...

Elizabeth is still asleep upstairs. The family is here again but this time so is Johanna, Annie and Finn. Mason is fast asleep on Johanna's chest and she has a look that dares anyone to question her.  
I keep going upstairs to check on Elizabeth every five minutes because I need to know she's okay.  
My foot is bouncing on the hardwood floor and my eyes keep flicking upstairs.  
Then I give in and go back upstairs.  
She's still sleeping but I pick her up anyways.  
She makes a quiet whining noise, rests her head on my shoulder and falls right back asleep.  
Her cheek is still red but it's better now.  
I go back downstairs and mirror Johanna's position. Annie is doing the same with Ben.  
"Your so overprotective." Rye grumbles.  
I glare at him so intensely that he actually flinches.  
"Geez. Need a tampon?" Kegan teases.  
"Why? You have some?" I'm implying he's female. Johanna snickers.  
I run my fingers gently through Elizabeth's silky dark hair, watching her face.  
It contorts in pain and her eyes fly open.  
She looks panicked for a moment, starts to cry, then she places her ear over my heart and silences.  
"That was weird." I say.  
"I think she had a nightmare." Mom says. "You did that after drowning in that pool."  
"But I was like six. I could talk." I say.  
"But you did exactly what she just did." Dad shrugs.  
That fucking Gale and Cato.  
She drifts off again, but fives minute later, wakes up and does the same thing. She puts her hand on my cheek and then goes back to sleep.  
She's worrying me.  
She does the same thing, five minutes later.  
Why does she keep doing that?  
I sigh and begin to hum. I don't actually sing, just hum.  
She doesn't do it again.  
Right when I stop though, she does it again.  
"I'm gonna get them. When they capture them and get into jail, I'm going to go visit them and give them a piece of my mind." I say.  
"I'm coming with you." Johanna says.  
My phone's ringtone blares. Peeta picks it up and tosses it to me.  
"Hello?" I keep quiet.  
"Katniss? Is this a bad time?" It's Kate.  
"Nope," I rub Elizabeth's back.  
"Okay, I know you hate when I lay it in easy son I'm just gonna come right out with it. Gale and Cato are here and they're demanding to talk to you." She says.  
I'm silent for a long time.  
"Your dad is a cop right?" I ask.  
"Yeah." She says.  
"Trap them in there and tell them that Gale and Cato are there." I say. The news is out so everyone is on high alert for them. They're ecstatic we got the kids back, though.  
At the sound if their names, Elizabeth, Mason and Ben start screaming.  
Those fucking assholes. I hope they get the death penalty.  
I rub Elizabeth's back.  
"Don't let them leave." I say.  
"Okay. I'll tell you how it goes." The line goes dead.  
I start to hum again. Annie and Johanna join me.  
It's kinda weird. Johanna is always so bitter, but with Mason she's not. She's so gentle with him.  
The house falls silent again.  
"So what happened? Who was on the phone?" Finn asks.  
"Kate. Ga-G and C are at Starbucks and she's calling her Dad to come get them. Bastards."  
"Ungy," Elizabeth mumbles. She can't say full words that well unless they're names. She can say Mama and Dada. And can't get down other names get. Ungy mean hungry.  
"Stay." Peeta pats my thought and walks off to the kitchen.  
He comes back with Banana baby food.  
I sit her up and feed her. She doesn't like the whole stuff. She's just hardly one. She's only sixteen months.  
"Wa wa." Which means she wants a drink. Peeta gets up again and comes back with a bottle of milk.  
She takes it and lays back down on my stomach.  
When she finishes, she drops her bottle on the floor and falls back asleep.  
She does that weird things again, but this time, she just screams.  
No matter how much Peeta and I try to console her, she doesn't stop.  
It ends with both of us singing to her for her to calm down enough to stop crying.  
I get Jo and start to walk around with her.  
Someone knocks on the door.  
I'm not paying attention as I open it.  
Delly Cartwright. Peeta's ex fiancé, is standing before me.  
She's in a slurry black dress and really tall heels.  
She surveys what I'm wearing and wrinkles her nose.  
Peeta's pale. He knows I fucking hate her. Ever since she kissed him in the bakery and I practically mopped the floor with her mop of a head, I've despised her with a burning passion.  
"How many plastic surgerys are you going to get before you realize nothing is going to help you?" I didn't mean to say it. It just came out.  
But seriously. Her skin is stretched. It's disgusting.  
"And seriously. You look like a creamsicle." She does. Her skin is orange from the spray paint.  
Her jaw is slack. Johanna is laughing so hard, along with Rye, Graham, Justice and Kegan.  
"You look no better." She snaps.  
"At least my skin isn't cold." I smile sweetly. "And my boobs are real." I point to my stomach. "Real" I point to my face "real" I point to my entire body. "Real"  
I point her to stomach. "Nylon" I point to her face. "I think that's nylon." I gesture to her entire body. "Nylon."  
She looks at Elizabeth and opens her mouth to say something rude.  
"Say a word about my daughter and I mop the floor with your rat nest." I cut her off mid sentence.  
"Your a bitch." she snaps.  
"A real bitch." I say. "At least I'm real. I know I'm a bitch. To you." I reply.  
"Well I didn't come here to talk to you. I came to see my fiancé."  
She says.  
"You don't have a fiancé. Last time I checked he dumped your ass in the dirt and came to me. Last time I checked we got married and have a kid." I say. "And last time I check, he hates plastic."  
It's true though. Peeta has a strafe hate flit plastic. He doesn't have a reason, he just hates it.  
She raises her hand to slap me.  
I grab her wrist.  
"I can take you down with my pinky." I say. "Don't bother."  
"Oh, but I want to." She says.  
"But nylon is so breakable." I say.  
Her eyes darken in anger.  
"You listen here bitch. Peeta is-"  
"My husband, the father if my child, the person I had sex with four times last night. Bye bitch." I shut the door in her face, lock it, and then go upstairs.  
Elizabeth is sound asleep.  
I bring her up to my room and shut the door.  
I rest her on the couch while I make the bed and clean the room, and the transfer her to Peeta's side and get my book, The Ghosts Grave. It's short and I can read it really fast but I absolutely love it and I've read it like twenty million times.  
I put on my glasses and start to read.  
Elizabeth wakes up, sees me, scoots close and falls back to sleep.  
Nobody bothers me till noon, which Finn comes up.  
"How pissed is he?" I shut my book after sticking a pen in there.  
"He's proud, actually. He spent like an hour laughing. Anyways, it's lunch time." Finn looks at Elizabeth, who is awake now, sucking her thumb, staring at the movie, Beauty and the Beast.  
"Ungy baby?" I ask.  
She doesn't do anything. Normal she would say yes or no.  
"He didn't come up because he thinks your pissed and he knew he'd start laughing again." Finn explains. "So..." He lowers his voice and moves closer. "Did you really have sex four times?"  
"Yeah. And then in the shower." I say.  
He snickers.  
"Come on E! Lets go get some food!" He whisks Elizabeth off the bed and walks out of the room. I follow him.  
Of course Delly decides to come back to the door. I'm in white skinny jeans and a white long sleeve shirt and boots.  
"Seriously? Are you really that horny?" I snap. She crosses her arms.  
"Your an asshole." She asks.  
"Well. At least mine is real." I say.  
"Your a cunt."  
She's trying to think of something to use to insult me but I'm just going to throw it right back into her face.  
"That's real too." I say.  
"It's true." Peeta says. "I've seen it many times."  
"Well your..."  
"Dippy, what the fuck do you want?" I purposely mess up her name.  
Peeta walks off to the kitchen.  
Its a struggle to keep from laughing.  
"I want Peeta." She says.  
"You had Peeta. He got bored and came for me. Your his sloppy seconds. Nobody likes seconds. Or leftovers." I say.  
She slaps me.  
"Bitch, get out of my face before I drag you by your olive oil." I wave my hand at her greasy hair.  
Her jaw drops.  
"I could call the cops for harassment." She snaps.  
"No. Your on my property. I asked you to leave and your not. I could call the cops on you."  
I twirl my phone innocently in my fingers.  
She slaps me again and I actually laugh.  
"Stop. That tickles."  
It does tickle.  
She storms off.  
"Bye Dippy! It was nice seeing you again!"  
I shut the door and lock it again.  
"I swear. She's deaf." I walk into the kitchen.  
Peeta is hysterical.  
I join him in laughter.  
I think she deserved it. She sexually harassed my husband. The bitch is lucky her heart is still beating.  
Elizabeth, who is still with Finn, starts screaming.  
I peek my head out of the kitchen. She's perfectly fine but she looks horrified.  
I walk over to her and pick her up.  
She silences immediately.  
Delly comes back to the house.  
"Seriously! Go away!" Peeta comes out of the kitchen and opens the front door.  
"Leave."  
"Peeta baby-"  
"Don't call me that. Go. My wife told you to leave and you won't listen. Either you leave or we call the police and remove you." He backs away when she steps closer.  
"You said you loved me Peeta," she says.  
"Delly that was a couple years ago." She steps closer, in the house now. "Get out Delly." He says.  
"Wait." She sounds desperate. She turns to me. "Why won't you sing anymore? I may hate you but you've got a good voice." She looks genuinely curious.  
I debate on snapping at her.  
"I don't want to." I say.  
"Why though? Your voice is so good." She says.  
"It's...I don't know." I admit. I know it was too much for me at the time but I'm sure I could now.  
I don't know if I want to though.  
"Just...just think about it, okay?" She says.  
I nod, even though I don't know if I will.  
She leaves without a word.  
Peeta shuts the door.  
Two seconds later, Greasy Sae knocks frantically on the door and then just walks in.  
"Girl you needa come see this." She says.  
I follow her without a word.  
Everyone follows me.  
My jaw drops when we get to town.  
There's people parading around with signs.  
Protesting.  
About me not singing.  
"Um..." They don't scream when they see me, they just stare.  
Are they in shock or something?  
One girl starts crying hysterically and hides her face with her hands. She's pretty young, too. Maybe seven or eight.  
Do they hate me or something?  
I start to back up, right into Peeta's chest.  
I look up at him and swallow nervously. He looks down at me.  
That's when the trucks some into the tiny town.  
No! No! No! No!  
The paparazzi found out where I live.  
Elizabeth looks scared, still in my arms.  
The paparazzi don't chase me down, but they've got cameras.  
I do not like where this is going.  
I start to shift nervously from foot to foot.  
The little girl that was crying runs over to me and wraps her thing arms around me.  
Peeta takes Elizabeth from my arms. She's crying hysterically into my stomach.  
She mumbles something I didn't hear. I kneel down to her level.  
"What honey?" I wipe her tears away. The paparazzi start taking pictures when I started responding.  
"Mama told me to tell you to ask if you will write a song about bullying. I'm six and people bully me in kindergarden." She chokes out.  
This poor girl.  
I hug her.  
"I will." I whisper.  
"Can you perform it on Ellen?" She whispers. I hesitate. She pulls away from me. "Please Katniss please!" I can't say no to her.  
"I'll see what I can do." I can't just assume Ellen is going to let me on the show.  
"Thank you!" She hugs me again and then pulls away. I smile in reply.  
"She said yes Mama!" I stand up and the girl runs towards the crowd.  
Everyone starts cheering.  
"Why do I have a feeling that you jut got blackmailed by a six year old?" Peeta whispers in my ear.  
"Great minds think alike." I whisper back.  
Elizabeth starts whining, reaching for me. I grab her.

...llll...

It's later that I realize how bad this is.  
I am all over the news and everyone knows where I live.  
It's dark out and everyone is asleep but I'm on the couch because I can't sleep.  
I have to be quiet because everyone is sleeping here tonight.  
Elizabeth starts crying upstairs.  
I internally sigh and get up, heading upstairs.  
I run right into Peeta.  
"Go back to sleep." I whisper.  
"No. You go back to sleep." He says.  
"I was never sleeping." I sigh.  
"Me either." He slips into the room and comes back out with Elizabeth.  
He then walks off to our bedroom. I follow him.  
He lays down with Elizabeth fast asleep on his chest.  
I lay down next to him and cover my hands with my eyes.  
"What's wrong? Why can't you sleep?" Peeta asks.  
"Stress." I sigh. "You?" I ask.  
"I don't know. I just can't." He sighs. I know there's a reason but he's not telling me.  
I sigh and get up.  
"I'm going outside to get some air." I could go out to the balcony but I want to go out front.  
"Okay." He says.  
I grab my phone and my earbuds and walk off.

...zzzz...

It took me about five minutes to figure out where I wanted to go.  
The meadow.  
It's at the very end of our property and there's a forest a couple miles out on a huge hill.  
The meadow is covered in gorgeous purple flowers.  
I get up and walk into the barn.  
I get on my horse and take off.

...zzzz...

It's twelve hours later when I wake up, surrounded by purple flowers.  
Something wet was on my face.  
I sigh and open my eyes.  
There is three puppies before me. I can tell by one glance that they're Siberian Huskies.  
They don't have collars on.  
Then there's a nasty squash yellow kitten.  
One of the puppies is light tan on the back and a bit on the face but white everywhere else.  
Another one is just all white.  
Then one is the exact same as the tan one but instead if tan it's black.  
I stick my hand out. The three of them lick it. The kitten meows.  
They're only puppies. Someone must have released them.  
I want them.  
I know Peeta won't let me keep them.  
I don't care.  
I take off my horses reins and hook them to the dogs.  
Then I pick up the kitten and head home. I still gallop with all of them in my lap.  
Three hours later, around five, I get into the barn.  
I'm nervous to see him reaction.  
I go in the back door.  
They look anxious.  
"Katniss tha - what the heck?" Peeta stares at me.  
"Puppies!" Audrey squeals.  
She drops down and starts playing with them, giggling.  
"Look at the kitten!" Prim whisks the hideous cat from my arms.  
"Please?" I begin. He knows exactly what I'm asking.  
"No." He says.  
"Please Peeta!" I beg.  
"I want one!" Annie picks up the tan puppy. "Please Finn?"  
"Sure," Finn shrugs.  
"Well I don't have to ask." Johanna picks up the white puppy. Elizabeth, Mason and Ben crawl over and star giggling when the black puppy starts licking their faces.  
"See Peeta! She loves him!" I whine.  
"No Katniss." He crosses his arms.  
He knows I will throw a tantrum till he gives me what I want. I've done it before.  
"Please?"  
"No." He says.  
"Please! Please!" I force myself to cry. He runs a hand through his hair. "Please Peeta! I really want him!" I drop down with the babies and Audrey and ruffle between his ears.  
"He may be mean." He makes up an excuse. The puppy is currently licking Elizabeth's cheek.  
"Yeah, he's terrifying." I roll my eyes. "Please Peeta?" I whimper. The family watches in silence.  
"No." He says.  
"Okay. I'm gonna hit myself still you say yes."  
"Katniss come on. Your twenty five years old." Peeta says.  
"But you love me?" I ask.  
"Of course." He says.  
"Enough to let me get a puppy? Do you not love me enough to let me get a puppy?" He grits his teeth and stares at the dog.

PEETA'S POV

I really don't like dogs. I really really do not like dogs.  
The puppy lunges at Katniss and knocks her backwards on the floor, coating her face in licks.  
Elizabeth then climbs onto her legs.  
The puppy alternates between licking Katniss and licking Elizabeth, both my girls giggling.  
"Come on Peeta, lighten up!" Finn punches my arm.  
I sigh and sits down next to Katniss.  
The puppy looks at me and then climbs into my lap. He puts his paws on my chest and starts licking my face.  
He's so soft.

KATNISS'S POV

Yes, nows my chance. His eyes are softening.  
"Please Peeta please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Plea-"  
"Okay." He cuts me off.  
I gasp. "Really?" I ask.  
"Yes. Fine." He says.  
I grin but my phone beeps.  
I look down at it.  
Kate: they didn't catch the bastard  
Kate: it's Jake btw  
Me: ok  
Elizabeth suddenly starts screaming hysterical, and Ben and Mason joining her.  
Then Peeta's got such an intense grip on my arm.  
I look up to see Cato and Gale standing before me, guns in both their hands. 


	4. Chapter 4

One gun is pointed at me, Cato's.  
Gale's is pointed at Elizabeth.  
My mouth feels like its stuffed with cotton.  
I suck in a breath.  
"What do you want me to do?" My voice is dull.  
Bitch please, I've already got a plan.  
"Go put on something sexy and come back down here so we can play with you in front of everyone." Gale hisses.  
Peeta is not about to let me go.  
"Okay." I trudge upstairs. Elizabeth is hysterical.  
I don't go in my bedroom.  
I go into my music room and get my bow off the shelf.  
"Hurry up!" Cato screams.  
I grab my sheath.  
"Just a second!" I call.  
The thing is there's a railing that overlooks downstairs.  
I army crawl over to it.  
Both their eyes are on everyone the room.  
Cato still has the gun pointed at Elizabeth, but Gale has his pointed at Peeta.  
I grit my teeth and silently load my bow, sticking the arrow through the slats.  
If they look up, my family is dead.  
Johanna sees me first. Her expression doesn't change.  
Finn sees me next.  
His expression doesn't chance.  
Neither does Haymitch's.  
I'm not going to kill them.  
I just need something...  
I have to distract them I make the gun go somewhere else.  
I'm going to shoot them in the foot but if it will set off a reflex and they'll pull that trigger.  
I turn my arrow towards the window and release.  
It shatters.  
Everyone whips around.  
I release on arrow into Gale's foot and right when Cato pulls the trigger in my direction, I release the other one into his foot.  
He hops out of the way.  
Shit.  
His gun is pointed over my heart and my arrow is pointed over his.  
I need to think of an out.  
Easy. Words.  
"You know. I should be killing you right now. For everything you've put my family through." I say calmly.  
Gale's gun is almost in him hand.  
I release my arrow into his hand.  
I have my bow reloaded when Cato look away.  
I get his gun.  
He drops it.  
I shoot his foot.  
He falls to the ground, snatching up his gun. I vault over the railing and get in front of him, taking the gun from his hand.  
"Now." I hand the gun to Haymitch, who points his at Gale with mine at Cato.  
"Get out of my house."  
The babies are screaming hysterically.  
"I can't walk!" Gale protests.  
"You have two arms and two feet." I reply.  
Both boys manage to stand.  
They hop off.  
There's a trail if blood left behind.  
Mom is crying.  
Everyone is crying.  
Even Peeta and Finn are crying. Haymitch looks close to tears.  
I drop my bow and pick up Elizabeth.

...zzzz...

She hasn't slept in three full days.  
She can't.  
"Why won't she sleep!" Everyone went home.  
"I don't know. You have to pack Katniss." I wrote the bully song and we leave for California in an hour.  
Ellen actually asked me t her show to talk about my life.  
This is going to be a long story, especially since everyone knows that I shot Gale and Cato.  
I'm not in trouble. It was self defense.  
I hurriedly pack.  
Peeta leads me to the car and then buckles in screaming Elizabeth.  
Only Cinna is coming to California with us.  
Bentley, our puppy, is staying with Annie and Finn.  
Everyone else went home.

...zzzz...

"What if she brings up everything?" I'm frantic.  
"It's gonna be okay Katniss." I'm freaking out to Cinna and Peeta. Elizabeth is dead asleep.  
"Just pretend your talking to us." We're in the dressing room.  
I'm on in thirty seconds. My dress is sea foam green on the bottom and black on the top.  
It's not revealing.  
It's innocent.  
I'm just wearing black flats.  
A man walks in.  
"It's time." He says.  
I get up.  
They follow me out and go to the crowd. Elizabeth wakes right up.  
"And please welcome, Katniss Mellark!"  
I walk up the stairs and onto the stage.  
People are screaming hysterically.  
Ellen gives me a friendly hug.  
We sit down and my leg starts bouncing impatiently. Everyone falls silently after a bit. Ellen is quiet for a moment.  
"Nervous?" She looks at my leg.  
"Yes." I say.  
She laughs, along with everyone else.  
"I'm sorry. It won't stop." I shift so my legs are crossed. There. Now it's stopped.  
"You look beautiful for jus having a baby!" She exclaims.  
"Thank you," people clap. "I thought I look...bigger but everyone says otherwise." I say. Ellen laughs.  
"So..." She sits back. "You have been through more stuff in the past couple years than I think anyone ever will in their lifetime." She says. "Lets start with...well I believe we covered the..." She coughs. "Rape, correct?" She asks.  
"I uh...don't really remember." I say.  
"Well I think everyone knows. So tell us...how did you find out that your daughter and nephews were missing?" She asks.  
"Well...I didn't, technically." I say. "To he honest, Johanna...you remember Johanna?" I ask.  
"Yes." She says.  
"Right, well my cousin Johanna came bursting into my room and she slapped me and told me to wake up. Annie, Finn's fiancé, was with her. I got up and went to go check on Elizabeth because Peeta was at the bakery and she wasn't there. I didn't freak out. Johanna and Annie said that Ben and Mason were gone. I told them to calm down and figured Peeta had them. So we went down to the bakery and he didn't have them. That's when I started to get a little scared." I look down at my hands. "We called everyone and asked everyone but there was no luck." I say.  
"And what about you and Peeta? How did you two deal with it?" She asks.  
"Well...we both became...really...bitter. We would hardly look at one another and we snapped at everyone. I thought we were getting divorced and I guess I...I didn't really care. I was so upset that nothing really mattered anymore." She looks sorry. There is a hush over the crowd. Not a sound is made.  
"And how did you find them?" She asks.  
"Well..." I look out at the crowd to make sure she's asleep. She's not. "Gale..." She starts crying immediately.  
Peeta and I have discovered that she only calms when I'm holding her. Everyone whips around to see her.  
"You can go get her if you have to." Ellen says gently.  
I walk off the stage and take her from Peeta.  
She rests her head on my shoulder and falls silent.  
"His family..." I begin when I'm seated, sitting her on my knee and bouncing her. "Lives down the street from us. I trust them sometimes...but I kind of have trust issues with anyone not in my family. I started having this dreams over and over that showed G and C..." Everyone seems to know who I'm talking about. "That showed them in a basement. They talked and hit them..." Tears are filling my eyes. "So I went over there. Hazelle told me to do whatever I have to do. She said the basement wouldn't open." I say.  
"It was locked?" She asks. I nod.  
"Yes. So I ran home and got my bow and arrow and shot it open...I went down there and there they were. Gale and-" oops. She starts screaming again.  
I pull her against my chest and rub her back. "G and C were running away." I say.  
"We're they injured?" She asks.  
"Just a handprint on their cheeks." I say.  
"Your dream was real then." She says.  
"I guess so." I keep rubbing her back.  
"Now what about earlier this week. How'd that play out. And let me just say...that was brave." She says. Everyone starts clapping again.  
"Well I was on the floor with Elizabeth, Mason and Ben playing without new puppy. All at once they starts screaming, worse them Elizabeth just was. Peeta grabbed my arm and they were standing there. One gun was pointed at me and one at Elizabeth." I hold back tears. "I asked what they wanted and they told me...to out on something pretty and go downstairs so they could..." I cough. Please don't start crying. Please god don't let me cry. "Play with me in front of everyone." Shrieks fill the air. People start crying. Ellen actually grabs tissues for herself. "I said yes and went upstairs and got my bow..." I stop talking. "Okay...our house is weird and it like..." I sigh. "I can't explain it. There's like this rail thingy..." I bite my lip. "Peeta can explain it." I say.  
A worker immediately hands him a microphone.  
"There's four rooms and one is down the hall. There's two directly across from each other and the one in the middle is ours. At the end if the hall is kind if opens in and between the stairs there's a balcony inside that overlooks the living room. The entire wall in the front of the house is glass."  
"That's sounds beautiful!" Ellen exclaims. Cinna whispers something to Peeta, who whispers something to the worker guy.  
A minute later the inside of our house is projected on the screen.  
"Right. So I was up there hiding. I shot the glass and uh...I kind of broke the front wall of our house. I had to distract them because they would have shot Elizabeth and Peeta." She's asleep on my chest. "We're staying with Peeta's brothers and cousins." I say. Ellen smirks.  
"That must be lovely for you." She's met Rye and Graham.  
"It's fun to mess with them. I'll bet they're laughing right now and planning something to do to me." I roll my eyes. "Anyways, they turns around and I got Gale's foot. He fell. Cato jumps from the other arrow and pointed at me. I said 'You know. I should be killing you right now. For everything you've put my family through.' Gale got his gun, I shot his hand, Caro looked away and I shot his foot.  
Then he got his gun and I jumped over that railing and got both their guns and gave one to my uncle. We forced them to leave and that was basically it." I shrug.  
"You are the most brave person I know." Ellen says.  
Elizabeth wakes up and starts crying and then sighs and stares up at me.  
"Ungy Mama." She puts her hand on my cheek.  
"Aw that's adorable!" Ellen exclaims. I smile. "Now. I believe you have a song to sing for the little girl behind you." Ellen says.  
I look around to see the girl that was crying standing behind me, looking hesitant.  
I smile and stand up, hugging her. She looks like she's going to be sick.  
"And what's the name of the song?" Ellen asks.  
I take the girls hand.  
"Mean girls." I look at the little girl. "Okay. I spent like five days trying to find out your name. Please tell me that Mrs. Johnson was right when she said it was Rachel." If it isn't it messes up the whole song.  
"It is." She whisper. I let out a relived sigh.  
"Good," I didn't let anyone in the world hear this song.  
This little girl has curly hair.  
"Okay, what do you need?" Ellen asks.  
"Um...just an acoustic guitar." It's literally two seconds later that an acoustic guitar is in my arms.  
"Are you okay with singing right here or do you need more room?" She asks.  
"I can do it here." I say. I look at Elizabeth who is in my lap and the guitar in my left hand. I look up at Peeta.  
"Oh! Can I hold her?" Ellen asks hopefully.  
"Sure," Ellen picks up Elizabeth from my lap. She doesn't freak out like she normally does with strangers. "Start whenever your ready." Ellen says.  
I start to strum. People are practically holding their breath to hear me sing. It has been like six years. Not really. I'm exaggerating but close enough.

Do you ever go to lunch with no one by your side  
Cause the moment you arrive they all leave the table  
Calling me everything but my name  
Need I remind you again just call me Rachel  
How would you feel if you running home crying  
Lock yourself in your room, don't want anyone to see ya  
While everyone's having fun outside, and you're telling yourself

I won't let it get to me no more  
I don't wanna feel this way  
I can't believe I let it go so far  
No no, it's not okay  
What do you know about me?  
Do you wanna know what I think?  
Mean girls, mean girls  
I'm a just comb you outta my curls  
Mean girls, mean girls  
You no longer run my world  
Mean girls, mean girls  
I'm a just comb you outta my curls

How would you feel every time you go to school  
Someone's looking at you weird calling you a loser  
All these girls wearing bubble-gum pink  
Guess I didn't get the memo  
Cause they're laughing at my blue shirt  
Well I hope you feeling good about you treating someone you know like a perfect stranger  
Cause it's easier than standing by my side  
Ohhh  
I won't let it get to me no more  
I don't wanna feel this way  
I can't believe I let it go so far  
No no, it's not okay  
What do you know about me?  
Do you wanna know what I think?  
Mean girls, mean girls  
I'm a just comb you outta my curls  
Mean girls, mean girls  
You no longer run my world

Who do you think you are  
Loud mouth, cafeteria star  
Maybe somebody was cruel to you  
So you think that's what you're supposed to do  
One day, it might be you  
When you need a friend, but you no longer cool  
When everyone leaves when you walk in the room  
I just hope they forgive you

I won't let it get to me no more  
I don't wanna feel this way  
I can't believe I let it go so far  
No no, it's not okay  
What do you know about me?  
Do you wanna know what I think?  
Mean girls, mean girls  
I'm a just comb you outta my curls  
Mean girls, mean girls  
You no longer run my world  
Mean girls, mean girls  
I'm a just comb you outta my curls

Mean girls, mean girls  
You no longer run my world

Silence.  
Shit. I really should have played that for Peeta. Elizabeth is staring at me.  
Rachel is crying into her hands.  
Then everyone breaks into cheers. I move closer to Rachel and hug her.  
She's hysterical. I rub her back and kiss her head.  
"Listen," I pull away and hold her hands. "It's gonna get better. I don't know why anyone would want to bully you. Your amazing, Rachel. Your perfect. It's gonna get better. Don't listen to them." I say.  
"But what I-if they hurt me!" She chokes out.  
I hesitate. I have a lucky necklace on, which is a guitar pick on a chain.  
I've been wearing it since I was her age.  
I take it off.  
"This is yours now." I put it on her and straighten it out. "To protect you."  
She sniffs.  
"Thank you." She whispers.  
I hug her again. "Your welcome."

...zzzz...

I went right back to Mrs. Johnson the second I got home and demanded for her to tell where Rachel lives and what school she goes to.  
"She lives in New York City and she goes to Ps 188 Kingsbury." She says. I know exactly where that is, having lived in New York.  
I stand up all the way and walk away.

...zzzz...

I'm laying in the couch and Rye and Graham's two weeks later.  
"I'm going out of town." I sit up. Peeta looks at me.  
"Where?" He asks.  
"New York." I reply.  
He runs a hand through his hair.  
"I've got to work." He says.  
"I'll stay with Jake and Kate. I'll take Elizabeth."

...zzz...

I'm bundled up in warm clothes. It is November after all. I walk out of the taxi in New York City.  
Today is the last day before Thanksgiving break at the elementary school.  
I walk into the office. The lady drops her pen and stares at me.  
"Are you here to see Rachel?" She asks.  
"Yes." I say.  
"Everyone is at lunch right now."  
She warns.  
"That's okay." I set Elizabeth's carseat on the ground. She's fast asleep.  
She puts a name badge on me.  
"Let me lead you." She says.  
I follow her out of the office, carry mind the carseat with me.  
When we get to the cafeteria, nobody sees me. I see Rachel sitting alone, her head on the table. She's clutching the necklace I gave her and I can see tears dropping onto her folder.  
This girl is only in Kindergarden and she's crying at school from being bullied.  
This poor girl.  
One girl gasps and then the entire place falls silent.  
I can't believe someone would put her down so bad that she sits alone, crying.  
She doesn't look up.  
The lady, the secretary, looks sorry for Rachel.  
She posts my shoulder and walks off.  
I walk over to Rachel and set down the carseat on the floor behind me.  
"Leave me alone." she sniffs.  
"You don't really want to be alone." I whisper. My throat is closing from the tears welling in my eyes.  
I hate whoever did this. And she's a child. So is the person that did this.  
But I hate them.  
She hardly looks at me. She doesn't want me to see she's crying. People are silent, staring at me.  
"Rachel. Look at me."  
I whisper. She shakes her head.  
"No. I'm ugly." She whispers.  
"Your beautiful." I tilt her chin up so she's looking at me.  
I know that the fifth graders are in the ones doing this to her.  
"No. I'm ugly. Stop being nice to me." She whispers.  
"Your beautiful Rachel. Don't let them get to you." I wipe her tears and tuck some hair behind her ear. Her eyes flit to a group of fifth graders behind me. I look over my shoulder. They're glaring at her.  
I wish I could do something to them. I've never hated a child as much as I hate them.  
"It's not that easy." She whispers.  
"I know it's not. You have to try. Just say thank you when they're mean and then tell your teachers." I whisper.  
"It's not fair. I don't know what I did!" She hides her face with her hands.  
I hug her and kiss her head.  
"You didn't do anything. They're just..." I almost said bitches to a six year old. "Just mean girls." I whisper so only she can hear.  
I can hear them whispering behind me and people are muttering uncomfortably.  
The bell signaling the end of lunch rings.  
She stands up. "Can I come see you after school?" She whispers.  
I write down the Starbucks that I go to.  
"There."

...zzzz...

I sit at the Starbucks. My phone starts ringing. Rachel came with her Mom and we talked.  
Now they're closed and I'm sitting at a booth waiting for Kate and Jake.  
It's midnight. I pick up my phone. I was asleep with my head on the table.  
"Hello?" I yawn. It's only nine is Oklahoma.  
"We're you asleep at nine? Seriously?" Peeta asks.  
"It's midnight." I sigh.  
"Oh. So how did it go?" He asks.  
"I saw the bitches and I don't think I've ever hated children as much as I hate them." I say tiredly.  
"What grade were they in?" His voice is gentle.  
"Fifth," I yawn.  
"Oh." He sighs.  
It's been a week since I've been gone and I don't really want to go back because I like New York. The country is like closing me in a box because of all the bad memories made.  
The bell above the door rings.  
"We're clo- Finnick! Peeta! My boys!" Jake exclaims. I look up to see Annie, Ben, Finn, Peeta, Johanna and Mason.  
"Dada!" Elizabeth crawls across the floor and reaches up to Peeta. He scoops her off to floor.  
I hang up and walk over to Peeta, hugging him and then everyone else.  
"You look dead." Johanna says. I sigh.  
"I'm just tired." I mumble.  
"Want coffee?" Jake asks. He doesn't wait for my reply.  
He makes my coffee and then hands it to me.  
I drink most of it and then give it to Peeta.  
"She looks happier." Peeta comments. "So do you." He notes.  
"That's because she likes N-" I clamp my hand over his mouth. Peeta narrows his eyes but says nothing.

...zzz...

It's one in the morning. I'm actually at the pool. We're at a hotel now and it's indoors so its warm.  
I'm in my bathing suit. Nobody is awake.  
I lay down on a pool chair. I'm tired but can't sleep.  
I look up and see Peeta leaning again the wall across the pool from me, watching me. His eyes are set on my chest.  
If he was anyone but my husband I'd snap at them. He slowly drags his eyes up to mine.  
I flip into my stomach and rest my head on my arms.  
"Can't sleep?" He sits down on the edge of the chair and starts massaging my shoulders.  
"Didn't try." I mumble.  
"Your shoulders are so tense." He whispers. I sigh.  
His hands trail downwards.  
I don't have time to away his hands away before he untied my bikini top.  
"Dammit Peeta," I sigh and reach back. He stops me from tying it again.  
"Stop. It's just us here." He whispers.  
"We're not having sex out here." I warn.  
"Fine," he doesn't do anything, just keeps massaging me. "I think that..." He begins. "That Elizabeth is much happier here in New York...than she is at home." He says. "And that's...sad. Our daughter likes being away from home. Home is where your supposed to feel your safest and happiest." His hands move to the middle of my back. I stay silent. "And I know you feel safer here." He whispers.  
"I never said that." I mumble.  
"You didn't have to." He replies. I sigh. "And I like it better here." He stops talking all together.  
I roll over, completely forgetting my suit is untie.  
I adjust my top and tie it up again.  
"What are you saying?" I whisper.  
"I'm just saying we all like New York better then Oklahoma." He doesn't add anything. "Now roll back over." He instructs.  
I yawn.  
"No." I say. I'm getting tired. "I know you mean something by what you said." I grab his hand and put it on my stomach, resting my hand on top of his. He clears his throat.  
"Is this your way of telling me your pregnant?" He asks. I laugh.  
"No I'm not pregnant." I laugh.  
"You two are so disgusting." Johanna is standing in the doorway across the pool from us with Elizabeth in one arm and Mason in the other.  
"How long have you been there?" I demand.  
"Since you rolled over." She replies. She walks over to us and sets Elizabeth gently down on my stomach. She's wide awake. "So are ya'll moving?" She asks. "Because I am. I fucking hate Oklahoma and so does Mason. I'd much rather be in New York. I like it here." She says.  
"Nobody said we were moving." I say.  
I want to move really bad but I doubt Peeta does.  
"And Finnick and Annie are moving too. They already told me and they said not to tell you but I don't really care. It's freedom of speech." I stare intensely at Elizabeth and don't look at Peeta. I already made him get a puppy. I'm not about to make him move clear across the country. Again.  
He runs a hand through his hair.  
"You know I could get our townhouse back. The retailer that laughed when you almost drowned got fired...now it's some guy named Boggs. He's local and I hear he's super nice." He fiddles with the string on my bikini bottoms.  
I hear a splash. I look up to see Johanna springing up and diving into the pool after Mason.  
She sits back down with her soaked son, dripping. He's giggling. Peeta doesn't look up at me. He untied and retires my bottoms at one side. Elizabeth giggles and pats my feet. I move them around to amuse her.  
"Katniss." He looks up at me. "We don't have to..." He begins.  
I sigh.  
"I'm not about to make you do something you don't want to do." Elizabeth should really be in bed. It's one in the morning. Way too late for a one year old to be up.  
He stares at me.  
"Do you want to though?" He demands.  
"Do you want to?" I ask.  
"Ladies first." He replies.  
"Which is why you should go." Johanna cackles and Peeta rolls his eyes. I fiddle with the bow on my top.  
"I don't know." I'm lying. "Fine. Yes I do but I won't unless you don't." He looks up at me with a relived look on his face.  
"I want to." He says.  
I can tell he isn't kidding.

...zzzz...

"Your kidding me." Rye snaps. "How many goddamn times are you going to fucking move? What is this five?" He snaps.  
"It's different this time." I insist.  
"You said that last time." Kegan snaps.  
"It is for real! We don't like it here!" I hate it here, actually. Elizabeth hasn't slept a wink since we got back from New York a day ago. Johanna said that same about Mason and Annie Sao the same about Ben.  
They all cross their arms.  
"I can't believe you guys. This is pudding me off." Justice snaps.  
"I know and I'm sorry but-"  
"You are not sorry Katniss. Cut the shit." Graham snaps.  
Of course Peeta is having me tell them the news while he is at the bakery with Finn, Rlizabeth and Mason.  
"And let me guess. So is Finnick and Annie and Mason and Johanna and Ben, right?" Rye snaps. Four huge guys against me.  
"This is ridiculous. How am I going to flirt with you now?" Rye demands.  
"You could move too." I mutter it and they hear me say something but I don't know they know what.  
"What did you say?" Rye demands.  
"Nothing." I snap.  
"Come on babe. Don't leave me." Rye pins me against the wall, his lips a hairline from mine.  
I shove him backwards.  
"First of all, don't call me babe, second, don't touch me, third, I'm going." I snap.  
"Come on Katniss! Why!" Graham whines.  
"Because Elizabeth doesn't like it here! New York is so much better and more lively and there's someone new to meet everyday! Here I could list out every person that lives in this town! It's no fair!" I exclaim.  
They all start complaining.  
I turn around and walk out of the house.  
I storm right into the bakery.  
"Why did I have to tell them that we're moving?" I demand.  
"He's upstairs Kitty." Finn says. "Trying to do something with money. He was grumbling about how your much better at it then he is." I storm upstairs.  
He looks stressed.  
I finish what he has been doing for a while in thirty seconds and then start complaining about his brothers.  
"Katniss who cares!" He cuts me off. "It's not a big deal! Just ignore them! You know how they are." He says.  
I turn around and walk off without a word.  
"Mama!" Elizabeth grabs my foot before I can walk away.  
I pick her up and then hand her to Finn and walk out without a word.

...x...

"I wish we had money to go with them." It's three in the morning and I can hear Rye, Graham, Justice and Kegan. I live with them since we can't live in our house. Peeta and Elizabeth are fast asleep, but I can't sleep again.  
I decide to eavesdrop.  
"I'm gonna miss them. Who is gonna mess with Kat now?" Rye grumbles.  
"We still can. There's phone." Justice says.  
"But we can't see her irritated expressions." Kegan grumbles. I hear them laughing quietly. I roll my eyes.  
"I hate it here." Graham whispers.  
"Don't we all." Kegan whispers back.  
I walk into the kitchen. I don't wear clothes around the house and they're completely used to me in my bra and underwear, even though they've never seen them off.  
They stare at me.  
"How long have you been there?" Rye demands.  
"Long enough." I reply. "You know Peeta and I can pay for you guys too. Then you can just work at the bakery." I say.  
"We can't let you do that." Graham says.  
"Suit yourself." I go to walk away.  
"Okay go ahead." Rye says quickly. I smirk.  
"That's what I thought."

**Okay, I want you all to remember that no matter what, I couldn't and wouldn't kill off Peeta, Finn, Rye, Graham, Justice or Kegan. **

**REMEMBER THAT PLEASE**


	5. Chapter 5

I am flipping out.  
Elizabeth has slept one hour in a week.  
Peeta is anxious. Ben and Mason have slept just as much as Slizabeth.  
She's just cries and cries nonstop.  
"Okay. The house is furnished Katniss. I want you, Johanna, Annie an the babies to go back to New York."  
Peeta says.  
They're driving even though we have a plane.  
Finn nods.  
"Johanna we'll pack your stuff. Don't worry. The kids are suffering. We need to do something about it."  
Peeta managed to get our townhouse from a year ago back.  
It's on the docks. Jake gave us our boat back because he said he never uses it.  
We won't see them for two weeks or so.  
I sigh.  
"Fine."

...zzzzz...

The second we left the town, the baby's slept.  
I tossed and turned for five hours last night.  
The second it hit five, I left a note to the girls to tell them to look after Elizabeth for me.  
Then I threw on some warm clothes, grabbed my phone, bag, and walked out the door.  
We don't open till seven, the bakery I mean. We have to be in at five to get stuff ready.  
And I can't sleep a wink, so here I am.  
"Guys! A little help!" Alice is trying to balance a ton of cookie trays with cookies on them.  
She almost drops them but I move forward and grab a ton from her and set them on the counter.  
"Katniss!" She hugs me. I told them that they're not allowed to call me "boss" or "Mrs. Mellark"  
Brandon whips around and then looks scared. "Oh my gosh! Where's the baby! I want meet her!" She exclaims.  
"She's asleep at home with Johanna and Annie." I say.  
"Where's Peeta?" She asks quietly. "Did you get divorced?"  
"What! No! He's in Oklahoma packing everything but the babies weren't sleeping so I came early." I drum my fingers on the counter.  
After helping them with what I can do, because I can't bake, I go upstairs and check on everything.  
The bakery is going under.  
Something tells me Peeta tried to fix this and failed. Which means he didn't tell me.  
I sigh loudly.  
Damn you, Peeta.

...z...

"So..." I'm on the phone with Peeta, down in the kitchen. Alive told me he said to them that if they tell me, they're fired. "You uh...when were you going to tell me the bakery was hardly standing?" I ask casually. I hear him swear under his breath.  
"Did they tell you? Dammit! Katniss I was working on it, I swea-"  
"I already fixed it." I cut him off. "Why the hell would you tell them they're fired if they tell me?" I'm trying not to freak out because it eleven in the morning and the bakery is jam-packed.  
"How the hell did you fix it?" He demands.  
"Easy. Someone hacked into the bank and took out six thousand dollars. I simply called the bank and told then they better fix it before I sew them. They obviously fixed it." I say.  
"Unbelievable." He mutters. "I've been working on that goddamn bakery for five months and you waltz right in and have it fixed right away." He's mad.  
"Well I'm sure it would have been fixed five months ago if you had just told me." I say.  
"Look-"  
"Yeah, yeah. Elizabeth was missing and you didn't want to worry me more. I get it Peeta. But that still doesn't mean you can just not tell me things. We're married, Peeta."  
"I know Kat, and I'm sorry, but we weren't exactly on speaking terms at the time." He defends himself.  
I grit my teeth for almost a minute, pissed.  
"Bye." I hang up on him.  
I hear gasps in the front of the bakery from all the customers and then silence.  
Me and Alice exchange a nervous look and then look up at the security screen. It's Johanna and Annie with Elizabeth, Mason and Ben and then Jennifer Lawrence, one of my best friends, and Josh Hurcherston, Peeta's best friend and Jen's boyfriend are with them. I can hear Elizabeth screaming from here.  
Alice grabs my arm.  
"You kidnapped her again!" Someone screams at Johanna, who is holding Elizabeth. Johanna snaps right back and then they're arguing.  
I slip into the front of the bakery and take my child back from the stranger that took Elizabeth from Johanna.  
Silence again.  
"I..." The lady that was just screaming at Johanna coughs.  
"It's okay. She's my cousin." I say. I'm forced to be nice to her.

...z...

It's two weeks later that it happens.  
The guys are on their way home. They decides to fly instead of drive.  
We're watching the news at ten in the morning.  
"Hey Kat, isn't that your plane?" Annie asks. I look at the news and see that my plane is indeed on the screen.  
I roll my eyes.  
"Yes. The paparazzi pr-" Annie shrieks and bursts into tears. I stare at her in confusion. Johanna too, starts crying. Their eyes are glued on the screen.  
I follow their gaze.  
It's my plane of course.  
My plane on fire.  
"Bullshit. That's got to be photoshop." I wave it off, trying to keep calm like Peeta has taught me to do.  
Finn, Rye, Graham, Justice, Kegan, Peeta and my piolet Cameron who has a three year old daughter are all on that plane.  
Suddenly, it explodes.  
I know it's not photoshop.  
I know because smoke fills the air, sirens echo in the background, then a piece of the plane, the door, collides with a huge transformer that I know powers the entire east coast.  
Then it explodes. The lights in the city flickers and then shuts off al together.  
I burst into tears. Annie passes out at the exact same time as me.

**REMEMBER I WOULDN'T KILL THEM OFF**

**I REMEMBER WHAT I SAID**


	6. Chapter 6

I hear silence around me. I'm covered in blankets and there's a weight on my chest and a strange, cold emptiness inside of me.  
"Mama!" Elizabeth sits up. She's the weight.  
Everyone looks up.  
Annie's eyes are hollow and she's curled into a ball with Ben on the floor, covered in a comforter.  
I look around. I look for those blue eyes. For the green eyes.  
I don't get lucky.  
"He's upstairs, right?" I sit up, moving Elizabeth to my lap. Mom is in front of me. "Right! Peeta ad Finnick and Rye and Graham and Justice and Kegan. They're upstairs. Right?"  
"I'm so sorry." Mom has tears sliding down her cheeks. The power is on  
"But..." I know there's no way around it. My chin starts to quiver as tears blind me. "But...he...he said he wouldn't leave. He promised me."  
"Well he broke his promise. Just like Finnick did to me." Annie whispers.  
"He lied to me." I whisper.  
Suddenly, the truth hits me like a ton of bricks.  
Cameron. Dead.  
Kegan. Dead.  
Justice. Dead.  
Finnick. Dead.  
Peeta. Dead.  
They're gone.  
Never coming back.  
I try so hard not to cry around Elizabeth, but I can't help it.  
Mom stands up and hug me while I let it out into her chest.  
"It's not true." I whisper.  
I cry so hard that I can't catch my breath. I pass out again.

ANNIE'S POV

nobody bothers me or Katniss. It's been a month. All we do is take care of Elizabeth and Mason.  
We don't bother speaking.  
Johanna force feeds us.  
I know they're gone but I can't deal with it.  
Katniss sits there and braids Elizabeth's hair over and over and over again.  
Once Rlizabeth starts crying, she stops.  
Elizabeth drifts off.  
She rests her against her chest, lays down and stares blankly at the ceiling.

KATNISS'S POV

I stare at the ceiling without really seeing it.  
The only reason I've not committed suicide yet is because of Elizabeth.  
I'm all she's got left.  
I'm a widow.  
The tears well in my eyes and start pouring down my cheeks. I don't sob, I just let then fall. My facial expression doesn't change.  
I hardly blink.  
His laugh. His smile. His hair. His eyes.  
The word I said to him.  
It was whatever. I was pissed off and hardly spoke to him after that incident with the bakery.  
I had said "I fucking hate you" and then he said "I'm sorry" and I said "whatever" and then hung up.  
Then when we did talk, the last word I said was whatever.  
He never even got to hear that I loved him.  
I hung up on him.  
I hate myself. I hate everything.  
They haven't found any of their bodies yet and it's all over the news.  
I just want to die.  
Someone rings the doorbell.  
Everyone looks at me because its my house.  
"What? Do your feet not work!" I practically scream at them.  
They don't get angry with me.  
Mrs and Mr Mellark are jus as upset as Annie and I but they're better at dealing.  
Same with Cinna and Portia.  
Johanna silently gets up and storms off.  
"We don't exactly want compa-" she screams and I hear something break downstairs.  
Haymitch gets up and goes downstairs and beat the person that hurt his daughter.  
But there's just silence.  
I move my hands to over my eyes because I don't want to talk to anyone.  
I won't go anywhere. Everything in this damn house reminds me if Peeta. The kitchen reminds me of his cooking. The bathrooms remind me if all the showers. The bedroom. I don't even need to explain that one. The sunroom when we danced without any music, the movie room, the music room and the art room the same as the bedroom. The laundry room for the same as the bedroom and same with the living room.  
Annie mirrors my position.  
Everyone in the room but Annie and I gasp.  
I don't move my hands. Probably some killer of rapest or pedoifile or pedo.  
I hope they get me.  
Then just silence. It's only when I feel Elizabeth removed from me that I remove my hands and open my mouth to yell at the cunt that touched my daughter.  
But no sound comes out. My mouth is half open and I slowly scoot away.  
I do not believe in ghosts.  
I scoot all the way across the room to Prim. She looks terrified.  
Elizabeth is set back down and she crawls over to me and sits down in my lap.  
Am I dreaming again?  
I've had this dream every single night.  
I must be dreaming.  
Or it was god sending me a message.  
Don't be ridiculous. They can't be.  
My phone vibrates with a phone call on the table next to the couch, nearest Peeta.  
It starts to fall, but he catches it.  
It doesn't fall through his fingers.  
I'm up onto my feet and into his arms in less than a second, my lets locked around his waist and my arms locked in a death grip around his next.  
The fact that he catches me. The fact that my entire body feels like its on fire and its tingling.  
The fact that his lips are on the top of my head.  
This just proves it. He's alive.  
But I saw that goddamn plane explode! The tears are sliding down my cheeks quickly. I don't pull away.  
"Your alive? Please tell me I'm not dreaming Peeta!" I beg.  
"Your not dreaming." He says.  
"Are you just saying that because I told you to or because you really are alive?" I demand.  
"I'm serious. We're alive." He says.  
"Prove it." I say.  
"How? Katniss I'm holding you right now and your having a conversation with me. Isn't that enough proof?" He laughs.  
His laugh. His fucking laugh.  
The one thing I have done is brush my teeth.  
"Are you guys hungry? Thirsty? Tired? Do you want to take a shower? Let me go get you guys some really comfy clothes and some hot chocolate and cookies and chicken and-"  
"We can do that after we explain."  
Finn cuts me off. Annie and holding onto him like I am Peeta and she doesn't look like she's going to let go. Peeta grip loosens.  
"Don't put me down." I beg him. "Please don't put me down."  
"I won't." He whispers. "Okay..." He sits down on the couch and I don't turn around. I stay locked to him.  
"So..." Rye sits down next to me. I climb off Peeta and hug him and kiss his cheek and then Graham and Kegan and Justice and Finn.  
Then I go back to Peeta and latch on again. Cameron is no where to be seen.  
"Is Cameron-"  
"He's gone." Peeta whispers. My face falls. I really liked Cameron. "Wait. He's alive but he's home." Peeta says.  
"Oh." Good. He's alive.  
"Okay so we were on the plane and Cameron wasn't driving and he came in and started ripping things apart. When we asked what he was doing he said he was looking for parachutes. We asked why and he said that something or someone did something and now the engine was on fire. We go on our parachutes and just as we jumped it exploded. The impact didn't hit us, which shocked us all. It did blow us away. For the part like...I don't even know how long it is, we've been trudging through the forest." Peeta says.  
"But we would have seen you on the TV!" I exclaim.  
"I wanna see it." Rye flicks on the TV.  
"No. Turn it off." I reach for the remote but he shoves it in his pants.  
"You can only get it back if you do down on me." I know he didn't mean get he remote. I huff.  
We all turn our attention to the TV.  
Yes. I see now. I can see tiny dots flying away from the plane that I didn't see before.  
"Is that it?" I ask Peeta.  
"Basically." He winces and shifts uncomfortably.  
"Okay. I'm going to get you guys warm clothes and you can take showers and I'll make you guys hot chocolate. Peeta you have to share your clothes." I say. He nods. I stand up. I don't want him out of my sight.  
I turn around and go upstairs to the bedroom. I get a ton of comfy clothes and go down stairs, through the kitchen and dining room, down more stairs and to the laundry room.  
I throw all the clothes in the dryer for ten minutes and go upstairs.  
I make a ton of grilled cheese and pile them on a huge plate and make hot chocolate for all the guys and get a bottle of water each.  
"Go take a shower or your not eating!" I call from the kitchen. I hear all of them groan and then Peeta passes me on the way upstairs.  
He pauses and leans really close behind me, his lips right next to me ear.  
"So...do you fucking hate me still?" He whispers. I whip around, my back pressed against the counter.  
"You know I don't. I was just mad. I love you." I hug him.  
"I'll be back." He kisses my head and disappears.  
"AND BRUSH YOUR NASTY TEETH!" I shout throughout the house. I hear all of them groan.  
"No!" Rye shouts back.  
"That's why you don't have a girlfriend!" I call.  
"Hey!" He exclaims. I can hear Peeta and Finn laughing.  
I make a ton more grilled cheese and then make tomato soup and then more hot chocolate and then set the table and slip downstairs to get the clothes from the dryer.  
"Your clothes are outside the door!" I bang on the bathroom door Rye is in and do the same for Graham, Kegan, Justice and Finn.  
For Peeta, I just walk in.  
"I'm throwing these clothes away." They're covered in dirt. I rest his clothes, which are still really warm from the dryer.  
"Okay." He says. I go to leave but his voice stops me. "Katniss?" He asks.  
"Hmm?" I pause outside the door.  
He shuts the water off and gets out, wrapping a towel around his waist.  
"I uh..." He coughs. "It's just...ticks." He's embarrassed.  
Oh. "You want me to check you for ticks?" I ask.  
"If can give diseases..." His face is red. I shut the door.  
"What if you've got them?" I ask.  
"Then we have to burn them off." He says.  
I hook my fingers around the towel covering him.  
"I don't think it would be there...just on the parts if my skin that were exposed." He says. I start to inspect every inch on his skin that was exposed.  
"I think your good." I say. He runs his hand through his wet hair.  
"I brushed my teeth." He says.  
"Good boy." I tap his nose. He pulls on his boxers right before I walk out.  
He follows me, his arm closing around my wrist as he shuts the bedroom door.  
"I didn't tell you so you knew I listened to you." He clicks the lock.  
"Okay...and?" I'm honestly clueless.  
He sighs.  
"Never mind," he walks off to the bathroom again.  
I stare after him and then walk downstairs.

...z...

"You know I don't plan on letting you out if my sight for a long time, right?" We're laying in he's naked at ten in the morning. The door is locked. I'm burrowed into his side.  
He kisses my head.  
"I know that." He stands up and pulls on boxers and then sweats. I put on underwear and then his shirt with a bra and sweat pants. I lay back down and so does he.  
The doorbell rings downstairs.  
I sigh and go downstairs.  
I go down to the front door and pull it open.  
It's some stranger. She looks me up and down and then walks into my house and goes upstairs.  
My mouth is half open.  
I shut the door and follow her.  
She's standing in the living room where my family is. I run a hand through my hair and then cross my arms.  
"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" I demand. She stares at me, silent.  
She stares at Finnick.  
"You attention seeking whore." She shakes her head.  
I glare at her. "Leave."  
"First you steal my sisters fiancé and then you fake being raped and fake their death. Just to get attention." She shakes her head. I see Peeta watching from the kitchen.  
"Sara." Peeta speaks up.  
Sister's fiancé?  
Oh.  
This girl is Delly's sister.  
"First of all, she didn't fake anything. She really was raped and she thought we were dead. She found out the exact same way that we did. Don't come into our house and insult her when you don't even know anything about her. Now she asked you to leave so go."  
She turns back to me, slaps me and then starts to walk away. Peeta silently begs me to keep my mouth shut, but he knows I can't.  
"Bitch." I mutter under my breath.  
She whips around.  
"What did you just say?" She demands. I narrow my eyes.  
"I called you a bitch." I reply. Her eyes darken and she turns to me all the way.  
"Sara-" Peeta begins. She puts her hand up.  
"Hell no. I'm not the bitch, your the bitch. You stole my sisters fiancé and destroyed his damn life. Don't go calling me a bitch. Say it again. I dare you." She has her hands in fists at her side.  
This girl has Johanna's attitude.  
"Okay. You are a bitch." Johana snickers behind me.  
I'm so glad the babies are asleep upstairs in Elizabeth's room.  
"Katniss, don't you dare." Peeta says in a voice that would normally make me flinch and do whatever he says. He only uses that voice when I've acted up or he's really mad.  
In this case, it's both.  
"Your a bitch." The girl moves closer to me.  
I roll my eyes. "Your not one perfect little princess that you and your family seems to think, sweetheart." I hear Haymitch laugh behind me. He calls me what all the time. I know damn well how much it pisses you off.  
Sara storms over to me and raises her fist to punch me but I grab her wrist and pin both her arms behind her back.  
"Didn't I ask you to get out?" I'm not gonna fight her. I've caused enough trouble. Besides, Audrey and Madison are in here. They've seen enough for two little girls. I'm trying to be better.  
Sara is silent.  
I shove her forwards and force her down the stairs.  
I open the door with one hand and push her out into the snowflake slamming the door in her face and locking it behind me. I go back upstairs.  
"Upstairs. Now." Peeta says.  
He's pissed. I knew he was. I sigh and brush past him.  
I go upstairs and strip off the sweats and his shirt and toss them onto the bed because they're not dirty.  
I get out white skinny jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt.  
"What are you doing?" His voice is rough and angry.  
"Skydiving," I say sarcastically as I button my jeans. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" I pull my shirt on and grab my black trench coat off the shelf, pulling it on and tying it up.  
I tug in my boots.  
"Where are you going?" He demands.  
"Out." I grab my phone from the nightstand and put it in my back pocket. I put my scarf on. "Your watching Elizabeth." I walk off.  
"Where are you going?" Finn stops me.  
"Anywhere but here."

...zz...

The sorrowful stares I get make me want to kill someone.  
I find myself at Starbucks.  
"So after all that, he was perfectly fine?" Jake asks.  
"Pretty much." I stir the drink and watch the caramel on the whip cream swirl.  
My phone beeps.  
Mom: Peeta told me to tell you that you need to get milk and more baby food and four pounds of chop meat, green beans and mashed potatoes. Oh and to go to Verizon and see about his phone  
Me: k  
Mom: stop being selfish  
Me: k  
Mom: Katniss  
Me: mom  
Idit get a reply.  
So now I'm his servant.  
My phone beeps though.  
Haymitch: stop being a bitch. He's your goddamn husband. You just thought he was dead. Now he's home and he loves and misses you and your treating him like shit. So what if he asked you to do something. If I were him I would already have kicked you out and divorced your ass. You have a daughter with this guy and YOUR MARRIED  
You are twenty five years old. Start fucking acting like it.  
And you would think that you would have learned something because you almost said your last words to him which were "I fucking hate you" and then "whatever"  
You hung up on him sweetheart. And that was almost the last interaction you guys had.  
If I were you, I would be kissing his ass for the rest of your life so the last word you ever say to him will make him know that you love him unconditionally. You were acting like that when he was gone. Why can't you act like that now?  
He already does that for you.

He's so right that it makes tears fill my eyes.  
"I have to go." I get up and leave without a word.

...zz...

Not only did I get everything he asked for, but I went full out grocery shopping and made sure I get the stuff he needs to bake.  
I got him the iPhone 5 instead of the four and I got him his sunset orange life proof case back.  
He told me last night he left his phone on the plane and then made a joke that "all lives end at some point"  
I struggle but manage to get all the groceries away and no evidence that I ever walked into the door without being seen.  
I then walk into the living room and hand him his phone.  
"It's the 5s. I got you the same case and got everything transferred. All your messages and contacts and voicemails and phone calls and apps and the ones that were open and everything. I already out the charger upstairs with your old one." I say. He raises his eyebrows in shock.  
"Um..." He coughs. "Thank you." I smile.  
"Your welcome. Oh. And...I love you." I kiss him right on the lips and then walk off. I hear Haymitch chuckle.  
I go upstairs and chance the sheets and I wash all the laundry and clean ever room.  
When I'm done I go back downstairs and chance the laundry over. Then I sit in the laundry room on the washer machine till its done an hour later.  
I put everything in a basket and bring it up two flights of stairs.  
I set them on the floor in the bedroom and separate my clothes, his clothe and Elizabeth's close from one another.  
I pick out the ones that aren't ours and set them in another pile.  
I fold all the clothing and put them in their respectful places. I then go through his drawers and fold every single thing in them.  
Then I change my clothes into a dress that is black and short that's long sleeve. It's really thing material and I only wear it to bed.  
I put all my dirty clothes in the hamper in the bathroom and then let out the breath of relief I feel because I'm done.  
Then I allow myself to go downstairs.  
"Okay. I'm asking." Peeta stands up and crosses his arms. "What dod you do?" I finished that in a few hours and its only four.  
"Me?" I ask.  
"Yes." He narrows his eyes.  
"I didn't do anything." I say honestly.  
"Are you lying?" He asks.  
"No." I tell him honestly. Haymitch chuckles again and shakes his head.  
"Why don't I believe you?" He asks.  
"Because you're-" I begin to snap. I then cough and stop. "I don't know." My voice is gentle and soft like it should be. He stares at me.  
"Are you okay?" He actually looks concerned. He gets up and walks over to me.  
"I'm fine." I tell him honestly.  
"Katniss..." He trails off. "Come here."  
He takes my hand and pulls me upstairs.  
He looks around at the spotless room.  
"It smells like laundry detergent." He pulls open his drawer and then slams it shut and rounds on me. "Okay. Your acting weird. Like to did something terrible and your buttering me up to deliver the bad news. What happened?" He asks.  
"Nothing," I say.  
"Stop lying to me!" He exclaims. I slip my hands under his t-shirt.  
"I'm dead serious. I didn't do anything. I just love you, that's all." I pull my hands off his stomach and hug him. He hesitate, but hugs me back.

...z...

I helped him with dinner as best I could and I refused to let him help me clean up, insisting that he did plenty for one day.  
"Katniss your acting like you killed someone." Says Peeta when I finish the dishes and enter the living room.  
"I didn't Peeta. I didn't do anything, I promise." I say gently. My voice is still soft. He sighs and runs a hand over his face.  
"Well I don't believe you." He says.  
Usually, I'd probably snap at him or lock myself in our room and refuse to come out because I feel bad for myself.  
I can't believe that.  
I disgust myself.  
"That's okay." I shrug and sit down on the floor.  
"Will you come up here?" He sounds actually nervous for the answer.  
I would probably had told him I was comfortable where I was and he would have had to come down with me.  
"Okay," I get up and sit down next to him. I lean into his side. He kisses my head.  
"Wa wa!" Elizabeth complains. Peeta starts to get up but I get up and walk into the kitchen before he can even get on his feet.  
"Who thinks she's up to something?" Peeta says right before I walk back into the living room and hand her the bottle. Everyone but Haymitch has their hands raised. Mason takes it from her and then Ben does. They all start crying, trying to get the bottle.  
Finn goes to get up to get a bottle for Ben, but I beat him and Johanna to it.  
I give Elizabeth back her bottle and hand one to Ben and one I Mason.  
Johanna suddenly grabs my arm and forces me down to a kitchen chair that I didn't realize Peeta had gotten. Finn ties me to it and Dad shuts off the TV.  
"What are you guys doing?" I laugh.  
"Tell us what you did right now or I'm leaving." Peeta says.  
"I didn't do anything." I say.  
"I'll be right back." He disappears upstairs and comes back down in an outfit that is clearly one for leaving in.  
"If you don't spill in five minutes, I'm leaving." He says. "For a whole day."  
Pain contorts in my chest.  
"I didn't do anything." I say. They don't say a word.  
I stare at Peeta. He looks down at his watch.  
"Ten seconds." He leans forward, his elbows on his knees.  
Two...  
One...  
He stands up.  
"You have till I get to the front door." He walks off. I sigh loudly, not from irritation, but because I don't want him to go.  
"It can't be that bad." Johanna says.  
"There isn't anything for me tell. I seriously didn't do anything." I say, pain in my voice at the thought of spending another 24 hours away from Peeta.  
I hear the front door open and close again and then the headlights of his car shine through the window.  
Haymitch sighs but says nothing.  
"We're not untying you till he gets home." Annie sits back. "You can spill whenever you feel like it. If you don't spill then we know you didn't do anything."

...a...

My bladder is screaming and I'm fidgeting a lot.  
I still have another twelve hours. It's eight in the morning.  
I cross and uncross my ankles. They watch me in amusement.  
"I feel bad." Annie says.  
"Me too." Mom says.  
"Me three." Mrs. Mellark says.  
"Dammit Brainless! Stop fidgeting! Your making us guilty." Johanna grumbles.  
"I'm sorry!" I gasp. "I have to pee so bad!" I moan.  
"You can pee when you tell us what you did wrong." Rye says.  
I bounce up and down in my seat impatiently.  
"I didn't do anything!" I exclaim.  
"Lies." Johanna says.  
"Let's just untie her and let her go to the bathroom!" Prim exclaims.  
"No! She's close the cracking!" Graham exclaims.  
Justice opens his water bottle and pours it into a cup, which makes a peeing noise.  
Oh. My. God.  
I almost pee myself.  
"The faster you tell us, the sooner Peeta comes home and the sooner you can go to the bathroom." Dad crosses his arms.  
"There's nothing to tell!" I exclaim.  
I sing my feet as I bounce up and down.

...z...

I manage to hold it till eight when Peeta gets home.  
"Unbelievable. I knew you were stubborn but I didn't know you we're this stubborn." I'm close to tears. He untied the rope from me and I spring up and bolt upstairs, locking myself in the bathroom.  
I have rope burn on my arms. I go back into the living room.  
"Now. Either you tell or we sit you there and torture you till you spill." Peeta says. The rope burn could be worse but this dress is long sleeve.  
I sit back down in the chair and stare at him.  
He ties me up again.  
They start with playing myself singing to myself, which makes me want to scream.  
Then Johanna gets out her pepper spray and threatens to shoot me in the eyes with it if I look away from the TV, which is my interviews with Ellen.  
I know she'll do it. I grit my teeth.  
"This is so amusing." Johanna snickers.  
Then when they're done with that, Rye comes downstairs with my now and arrow and starts messing with it.  
Oh god I want to break something.  
I'm not really mad though.  
Haymitch has spent most of his time since last night laughing because he knows I didn't do anything.  
"Let's see. Something she hates." Peeta says.  
"Oh, I know. Lets give her peppers. And she has to eat every one." Johanna smirks.  
No. I absolutely hate peppers.  
No. Please no.  
My face goes expressionless and I must look scared. She smirks.  
"I don't want to make her get sick." Peeta says.  
"Oh who cares!"  
That's exactly what they do.  
I force myself to eat, chew and swallow the four whole peppers without protest.  
I almost throw up multiple times but I refuse to let myself.  
He said he doesn't want to see me throw up, so i'm not going to throw up.  
"Okay. Lets start destroying her favorite stuff." Finn suggests. I'm about to start crying.  
"This is so mean!" Mrs. Mellark slams her fist on the coffee table. "Let the poor girl go! You guys are making her do all her least favorite things and she's not protesting!" She exclaims.  
"Because she doesn't want me to get mad at her." Peeta says.  
"I'm with Renee on this one." Mom says.  
"Well I'm not convinced." Peeta says.  
Okay. Now I'm getting pissed.  
I know he won't die now and I can apologize for what I'm about to say later.  
Haymitch smirks. He knows.  
"Listen." I snarl. This is the only way to make him let me go. They all turn to me excitedly. "I didn't do shit. I was trying to be nice. This is what I get for being nice to you? What the fuck. I could technically get you all ducking arrested right now for this. Untie my before I get the fuck out of the chair and grab the fucking bow and arrow and kill each and every one if you." I snarl.  
Peeta stares at me.  
"That's what I was waiting for." He unties me.  
I kick the chair across the room and grab my bow and arrow.  
"If you want to know why I was being nice, you can fucking ask this asshole, who knew I didn't do anything the whole time." I point at Haymitch and walk away, crying. "I was just trying to be nice and you do this!" I go into the music room and slam the door.  
I shoot arrows a mile a minute and then storm out of the music room and wash the fuck out of my teeth and storm back downstairs.  
"Can I get food, or are you going to let me starve to! Maybe then I'll tell you about that thing that DIDN'T HAPPEN!" I hear them all silent in the living room.  
"Katniss." Peeta calls. I storm into the living room.  
"What! Are you gonna tie me to the fucking chair again?" He sees I'm crying and looks like he may start crying.  
"Let me see your phone."  
"Okay." It's like I can't control it now. My voice goes back to that gentle tone I had.  
I go upstairs and get my phone and hand it to him. I go to walk off but his voice stops me. "Stay."  
He's not asking.  
I sigh and stand there with my arms crossed. He runs his hands over his face after he sees what he wanted. He hands my phone to his mom.  
It is passed around and then back to me.  
"You really didn't do anything." He looks more sorry than I have ever seen him in my entire life. I don't say anything. "I'm going upstairs."  
He brushes past me.  
Elizabeth is asleep. I sigh and go into the kitchen and make myself food and then go upstairs.  
I get my laptop and go into the sunroom, which is connected to the empty bedroom, that he is not in.  
Which means he is in his studio and isn't coming out.  
I sit there and go on twitter, eating my food.  
I slip back downstairs, out all my stuff in the kitchen and then go back upstairs and back into the sunroom.  
I go through twitter and then switch to Facebook.  
Then I just start going through YouTube videos.  
I find one titled "Mean Girls Cover"  
It had a million views.  
I get intrigued and click on it.  
"So um...I know Katniss Mellark won't ever see this, but...thesau she preformed this song on Ellen, I was going to kill myself. I hated live and everything else. Nobody seemed to like me and I was being bullied at school as on the computer at home. My foster parents didn't care. Then, they forced me to watch Ellen with them and I saw this. My whole perspective of everything changed. It was like a light shone. It was like being in a pict I black room and your lost. It's like Katniss came and...shone a flashlight. It's like she took my hand and helped me out to the sunlight. She saved my life and she'll never even know. So I decided, with much persuasion from my family that adopted me, to do a cover of this song."  
I'm already crying.  
She starts to sing and I break down.  
Her voice is beautiful. She's beautiful.  
Everything about her is beautiful.  
When's she's done, I stare at the black screen and then press escape and go to the comments.  
Katniss should see this  
Incredible  
What kind of bitch would bully you  
Gurl how old r u  
Rachel replied. I'm thirteen.  
Damn  
Holy crap.  
I can't even right now...RACHEL I LOVE YOU  
Then I find the only negative one.  
You attention seeking whore.  
There's a ton if dislikes on that one.  
I says my username which everyone knows.  
I dislike it and leave a comment  
That's just rude.  
Then I google this chick and get her address.  
Thank god for the Internet.  
She lives...  
She lives down the street.  
My phone ringtone fills the air.  
"Hello?" I ask.  
"Katniss I know it late but we need to talk." It's actually Ellen.  
There's a frantic edge to her voice.  
"Okay..." I trail off.  
"There's this girl named Rachel-"  
"Rachel Crow." I say.  
"Yes! She's coming on the show tomorrow and she doesn't know! She thinks its a field trip for school and want you and the other Rachel and her to make a music video of Mean girls. The other Rachel is already coming. Pleas Katniss you have to be here at six tomorrow morning. Your going to sneak out and surprise her and tell her about it!" She's begging me.  
"Let me talk to Peeta and I'll call you right back." I hang up and spring up.  
I knock nonstop on the studio door till he opens it and then hurriedly explain and make him watch he video.  
"I don't want you on a plane." He says.  
"Peeta please I'm begging you! You have to let me do this! I'll be home before you know it!" I beg.  
He sighs.  
"Fine."

...zzz...

Rachel Crow is in a daze. She didn't know she was coming to Ellen.  
Ellen is talking sweetly with her and being super gentle.  
"Did you know that she saw your video?" Ellen asks. Rachel sits up so fast and goes pale.  
"I didn't want her to see that." She whispers frantically.  
"Why! Your voice is incredible!" exclaims Ellen.  
"But..." Rachel shakes her head. A hand is placed on my arm.  
"Go on."  
I'm alone this time. I'm not going home till we finish the music video. I won't see my family till I finish it.  
Rachel and Ellen keep talking.  
I start to creep out into the stage.  
"I just don't want her to think of me...weak and stupid. Or ugly."  
"Or strong." She whips around. "Or brilliant." Tears start flowing down her cheeks. "Or flawless."  
I was bullied too, at her age.  
I was bullied because I was short.  
I hug Rachel and allow her to cry. She's shaking.  
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have sang your song it's yours!" She exclaims.  
"Don't apologize. Your voice is..." I cross my legs and sit back, fiddling with a loose string in my dress. The tears that wouldn't stop flowing last night well in my eyes again.  
"Whoa, Katniss are you crying?" Ellen hands me a ton of tissues.  
"I uh..." I cough. "I cried when I heard you sing it. When I heard your story. I cried all night last night. My family can all attest to that."  
"I made you cry?" Her hands fly to her mouth.  
"Because your so..." I shift. "Your stunning and your voice is just flawless and I can't believe..." I cover my face with my hands and scrub at my eyes. "Can't believe someone would bully you. It the other Rachel. Anyone." There's a hush over the audience. I sniff and wipe a stray tear.  
I don't even care that all if America is watching and they everyone just saw me cry.  
"Can I change the subject?"  
Ellen blurts. "Just to clarify something?" I nod, along with Rachel. "When I called you last night you said you would ask Peeta and then you hung up on me." She laughs. "Now I don't mean to be blunt, but last time I checked..." The video of the plane exploding comes on the screen.  
I flinch because I still hate it. "How did he manage to survive that?" She asks.  
"Well...watch underneath the plane." They play it again.  
Gasps fill the audience. "Parachutes." I say.  
"Oh god." Ellen says. She shakes her head. "Did you know?" she asks.  
"I um...didn't know. I found out exactly how the rest if you did. I didn't find out they were alive till a few days ago." I admit. "Anyways." Ellen knows what I'm doing. "You know the other Rachel?" I ask. Rachel nods. "She's here today." I say. "You wanna know why?" I ask. She looks hesitant. "The three of us are doing a music video for Mean Girls." Everyone starts screaming.

...z...

The director is named Gary. "Okay. Katniss this is your call. Is it just you singing, or the three if you?" He asks.  
"The three of us." I say. "I already have the parts set up and everything." I say.  
"Well you have to sing the most because that's your song." He warns. I nod. "And I have to ask. Where you bullied?" I nod.  
"Yes."

...a...

It took a week to get a perfect studio version on the song.  
We started filming after two weeks.  
We all end up breaking down multiple times, which makes it take a month to get half of it done.  
We comfort one another.  
I hardly get to keep in contact with the family. They said its okay. That they understand.  
The whole time, we have out hair curls till the end.  
Everyone says that I look like a senior in high school.  
We actually rented out a school.  
We hired tons of people and the "mean girls" who are Kaelin, Elissa, Bailee and Jordan.  
They're all so sweet. I don't mind that in the oldest on set.  
"Okay! Katniss! We're doing the first scene. Keep your head down, pick at your nail polish and make she to cry and lip-sing along!"  
Gary says. I sling my bag over my shoulder.  
The girls are supposed to laugh at me as I walk past. Two of of them are fifteen and the other two are eighteen.  
"And...action!"  
I walk into the cafeteria and make sure to at upset. The girls mouth mean words at me that makes actual tears well in my eyes.  
I drop down at the lunch table way far away from everyone, set my bag on the table next to me and look down, crying for real  
As I pick at my black nail polish, lip-singing along.  
The bell rings to tell me that the scene is done.  
"That was perfect!" Gary exclaims.  
"Thank you.  
Two more weeks.

...z...

It gets extended to another month. I don't really mind.  
Sure I miss Peeta and Elizabeth and the family like crazy, but this video is going to be amazing.  
"And...okay. Katniss, stare at yourself in the mirror, cry, turn sideways. Look at the scars on your wrist, pick up the knife, put it down, pull on you pajamas and go to bed. Do not stop lip-singing."  
I have to be in my bra and underwear in this scene.  
I was the only one that would do it.  
I do exactly as he says.  
This is the last scene.  
The bell rings to tell me enough and then everyone starts cheering because we're done.  
We a hug and freak out and the go out to dinner and joke around.  
For a week we have to wait.  
Then Gary calls us to the studio.  
It's done.  
We watch in excitement.  
"Remember. Be at Good Morning America at Five on Sunday."

...zz...

I get home at three in the afternoon.  
I didn't even tell them I was coming. My phone died and I was too lazy to charge it.  
I silently slip into the house. I can hear the TV on upstairs and the baby's rambling and the families laughter.  
I leave my suitcase by the door and silently sneak upstairs.  
They're all here.  
"MAMA!" Elizabeth drops her toy and bursts into tears.  
I lift her up.  
"Katniss!" Peeta jumps up and hugs me, being careful not to squish Elizabeth. "Your home!" I can tell he missed me. Elizabeth's hair is longer and she's taller.

...z...

So here I am, with the two Rachel's "the mean girls" and me and Gary.  
My family is in the front row.  
Both Rachel's are clutching my hand. They're freaking out.  
They're making it a huge deal.  
"Okay. Lets show the new Music Video!"  
Everyone turns their attention to the screen excitedly. Even myself.  
It starts out with me talking about being bullied, then Rachel Smith, then Rachel Crow. We all cried, but it got Rachel the worst.  
She held up her hand and it said "I hate who I see in the mirror" while the guitar began.  
Then is shows me walking down the hall into the cafeteria, where the girls mouth mean words at me.  
We added a part. I sit down at the table and everyone there leave.  
That's when I start crying, picking at my nail polish.  
Then it shows the little Rachel, in the same boat as me, hiding in the library. She's not lip sinking. Right now it's me singing.  
Then is shows me at my locker, my hair still up.  
The girls are behind me, laughing up a storm, the two eighteen year olds. The younger ones are chasing Rachel Crow down the hall.  
The chorus ends and the next verse comes.  
Gasps fill the audience as it shows me standing in my bra in underwear in my "bedroom"  
I look down at my wrist, crying.  
Grab the knife. , put it down, pull on my pajamas and get in the bed.  
Now I'm back at school.  
I leave class and run down the hallway and break down in the bathroom.  
The girls walk in and one of them shoves me.  
One of them sprays water all over my blue shirt.  
I cry harder and leave.  
Now I'm in the cafeteria.  
Me, a senior, see them bullying Rachel Smith.  
That's when my eyes darken and I stand up. I lip sink this part.  
_Who do you think you are_  
It changes to Rachel Crow, who is actually singing this part in the song, standing up  
_Loud mouth__  
__Cafeteria star_  
Then Rachel Crow walks over to me and takes my hand. Rachel Smith backs up and sings in the song;  
_Maybe somebody was cold to you_  
Then me and Rachel Crow sing  
_So you think that's what you're supposed to do_  
Then the three of us have our hands joined and its like a power. Wind starts blowing around the cafeteria, papers flying everywhere.  
The three of us sing together:  
_On day it might be you__  
__When you need a friend but you're no longer cool_  
Now just me, walking down the hall.  
I begged long and hard for Gary to let me do this and after nearly a week, he agreed, saying it's just like me.  
I walk down the hall.  
_When everyone leaves when you walk in the room._  
I whip around before leaving the school, the girls joining me.  
I turn around and flick them off.

It shows both girls rolling their eyes at my, grinning like idiots. They then sing together

_I just hope they forgive you_  
It shows us step out the door from inside.  
When we walk outside, the curls are completely gone from our hair, all our hair is straightened.  
In nervous for this part.  
Now in walking down the hall, hand in hand with some guy.  
He turns to me. We almost kiss, but the mean girls walk past and say something.  
Then he backs away from me, Drops my hand and kisses one of the eighteen year olds.  
I start crying as I rush out the school.  
It shows both Rachels chance me down.  
They grab my hand at the exact same time.  
Both Rachel's sing:  
_Mean girls, mean girls._  
Then is goes back in time.  
The guy starts laughing, along with the girld.  
I roll my eyes.  
Then I sing: _You no longer run my world_  
Then the screen fades to black.  
The entire audience breaks out into cheers.


	7. Chapter 7

My phone beeps. It's Rachel C.  
Rachel: you should make a music video for your first song. For When I Look At You. But have Peeta be in it  
Me: I know...I don't know if I want to and I don't know if he'll want to.  
Rachel: it would be perfect. But put in Elizabeth  
Me: no. I don't want her completely exposed  
Rachel: no offense Kat, but she already is. This would make her the most popular in school  
Me: and the most hated. She's gonna make a ton of girls jealous  
Rachel: well...we'll just have to straighten her hair  
I don't reply, I just smile.  
She doesn't know that I'm going back to California with Peeta and Elizabeth tomorrow for her birthday on Wednesday.  
I zip my suitcase and go downstairs.  
"Peeta? Can I talk to you?" I ask. It's February 24th. Jo, Annie, Finn, Rye, Graham, Justice and Kegan are here with the babies.  
"Yeah, sure." He gets up and walks towards me, leading me upstairs. I hand him my phone.  
"Read down." I say. He's silent for a long time after he finishes.  
"Do you want to do it?" He asks.  
"Do you want to?" I ask. He hesitates.  
"I ask you first." He says. I sigh.  
"Well I want to know if you want to." I reply.  
"I do." He says.  
"Good, me too." I say.

...z...

"Katniss!" Rachel hugs me. "Your here! How long are you here for?" She demands. I have Peeta and Elizabeth with me.  
"A couple months." I say.  
"Months! Why?" Rachel exclaims.  
"We're gonna do the music video." I tell her. Her eyes widen.  
"Really?" She demands.  
"Really." I say.

**Guys I'm gonna do something big.****  
****Disclaimer: I DONT OWN ANYTHING****  
****-KatPeeta22**


	8. Chapter 8

It's a month after the music video releases, on July Third. We're on the boat.  
Peeta is driving way too fast and in trying to put sunscreen on Elizabeth. We got another boat so we have two and the family's all fit on them.  
I sigh and get up, walk over to Peeta and forcing him to stop driving.  
"What's wrong?" He asks.  
"Nothing. Just give me a second." I say.  
"Thanks Brainless." Jo and Annie are in the exact same boat at me.  
"What are you doing? Why'd you stop?" Prim calls from the other boat.  
"Sunscreen." I say I finish the sunscreen on Elizabeth and then start to put it on me. "Peeta?" I ask.  
"What?" He asks.  
"Come here, please."  
He walks over to me.  
"Can you put this on for me?" I ask.  
"Sure." He squirts some in his hand and starts to put it on my back.  
I don't realize he's writing something till after he's done.  
We're going to an island and camping there tonight.  
I glare at him. He smirks.  
"Waterproof. It's not coming off." Then he kisses my cheek.  
I'm gonna get him.

...z...

The word "protect" is tanned onto my back. Peeta took a picture and everyone has been laughing at me.  
It's three in the afternoon and Peeta is asleep on a towel in the sand.  
We're sitting around the fire. I eye the bottle on sunscreen and then my sleeping husband. I take a picture of him sleeping.  
Then I get up, grab the bottle and walk over to him.  
Everyone watches me in silence.  
I spell out the words "Payback's a bitch- Love Kat"  
Then I draw a smily face with the tongue sticking out. Then I put my signature.  
He stirrs and I freeze.  
I let out a breath of relief when he just sighs and does nothing else.

...z...

"KATNISS!" This time, I'm asleep. He shakes my shoulder viciously. I moan. It's morning.  
"Go away." I roll over in the tent.  
"Wake up!" The words "protect" are already gone.  
When I burn, it goes away the next day, back to his natural color.  
The only reason I'm tan is because its natural.  
Peeta the other hand...he's part Irish. When he burns it doesn't go away. It turns into a pale tan.  
So this is gonna suck. For him.  
"Katniss wake up!" He viciously shakes my shoulder.  
"Stoooop!" I whine. "That hurts." I swat at his hand.  
"Wake up!" I groan and flip so I'm facing him.  
"Whaaat?" I whine.  
"Ellen is on the phone." He says.  
I groan again and stick my hand out for it. He hands it to me and walks off without another word. His back is completely red except for my artwork, which is all white.  
I burst into laughter.  
"Hello?" I gasp, getting out of the tent.  
"Katniss I want you on the show again. Tomorrow. Can you make it?" She asks.  
"Sure." I say.  
"Okay, see you then."  
"Hey wait," I stop her. "I'm gonna send you some pictures, okay? Can we talk about them?" I ask.  
"Sure." She says. I hang up.  
I then send her the picture of my back, then Peeta's and him laying in the ground.  
I don't think that Peeta knows about his back.  
"Damn. Mom am I sunburnt?" Peeta asks. He turns around to his mother. She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand.  
"What? Is it bad?" Peeta asks. She stares at me and then starts laughing. Rye walks over and goes hysterical.  
"What!" Everyone is laughing at him. "What?" He looks over his shoulder and desperately tries to see. "Kat what?" He demands.  
"I don't know." I lie.  
"Katniss..." He narrows his eyes.  
"Just...remember next time, that your wife. She belives in revenge." I look down and send the picture to him.  
I then toss my phone to Johanna so she can hold it.  
When he gets the message, his eyes bulge.  
"Your gonna get it!" He runs for me but I dart past him, laughing.  
His fingers circle around my waist and I squeal and fight out of his grip. We're both laughing.  
I manage to get myself loose and I take off.  
But Peeta grabs my arm and nods at something behind me.  
Elizabeth is standing all on her own.  
My face widens and surprise.  
I move closer to her and sit down in the sand.  
"Come here baby!" I reach for her. Peeta sits down behind her. She's sucking her thumb, staring at me. "Come on baby!" I urge.  
She takes one small step and then falls. Peeta stands her back up. Everyone urges her.  
"Come on Elizabeth, come to Mama!" I keep my arms extended for her.  
She takes two tiny steps and falls again.  
We keep urging her.  
She starts walking towards me.  
I stand up, bent down, arms still extended towards her. Everyone is cheering. I start to back up and she keeps toddling towards me. When she falls and gets back up.  
When she's right in front of me, she trips and I catch her.  
I keep going, this time irging her towards Peeta.  
After a little while, she starts crying, sits down and begins to throw sand.  
"No!" She screams.  
She throws sand at anyone that gets near her, throwing a major tantrum.  
"Elizabeth!" I grab her tiny fists. "No!" That's her least favorite word. She stares at me with pure terror in her eyes.  
Her vocabulary is one of a two year old now, because she going to be two at the end of this month.  
"Sowy Mama." She says.

...s...

"Okay, I'm gonna start of by saying that I'm rating this show R for today. If you have young children, I would advise you didn't watch this." I'm not even on the show yet but I know this is going to be really embarrassing and uncomfortable.  
I'm alone again. Peeta doesn't know that I sent those pictures.  
"Now lets all welcome Katniss Mellark!" I'm in a flowing black dress, that one I wear to bed.  
And a brown belt and boots.  
I walk out onto the stage and wave at the crowd.  
"Okay..." Ellen takes a deep breath. "How are you?" She asks.  
"I'm..." I laugh. "I'm good." I smooth out my dress.  
"I swear, every time I see you, you get more beautiful every time." She says.  
"Really? Thank you. I thought I've looked the same since I was born." I say.  
"Surely not!" A picture of me as a baby, naked and screaming pops up on the screen and I pale.  
"Where did you get that?" I point at the screen, my face growing hot. She laughs.  
"A certain someone." She says.  
"Was it Peeta?" I demand.  
"Nope." She says. "None of the Mellarks." She says.  
"Johanna?" I narrow my eyes.  
"Nope."  
"Finn." I know the answer. She just grins.  
"I said I wouldn't tell." She says.  
"It was Finn." I sigh.  
"So..." She trails off. "I believe you wanted me to show some pictures?" She says.  
"Yeah." I grin. "Let me explain. Show the one of me first." I say.  
The picture of my back pops up on the screen.  
"You never told me what happened. I've been dying to know, and I think the rest of us are too." She says.  
The audience shouts in agreement.  
"Well...okay, so we live in..." I almost said where I live. "We live on the water. We were on our boat and I had asked Peeta to put sunscreen on my back." I say. "And he...took advantage." I say. "And me...well. I don't...I get revenge." I say. The picture changes to the one if him sleeping on the towel. "So when we got to the island...I saw this." I point at the screen. "And knew I had to take advantage." A grin is spreading across her lips. "So..."  
It changes to the sunscreen on his back right after I put it on. People all gasp. "So I did this." I say. "And then..." It changes to his back, burnt to a crisp with the words. "And this happened..." Everyone bursts out laughing.  
"That's perfect! And is it still there?" She asks.  
"Oh yeah. I have a picture of him the morning right before I left that he is just now finding out I took." I say. "But I don't have my phone on-" someone comes up behind me and hands me my phone. "Oh!" I actually scream. "You scared the shit out of me!"  
Ellen does prank people. I think this was just a casual exchange. I hide my head with my hands while Ellen laughs hysterically. I hurriedly change the subject by going to the picture and holding up my phone so the camera can zoom in.  
"Does he know you we're showing the pictures?" She asks. I know that they're going to beep out the curse word I said on accident.  
"No. He didn't even know I was going to talk about it. I know I'm gonna get a lecture when I get home." I say. "And I can practically hear everyone laughing at him."  
"And what about you? Is it gone?" She asks.  
"I don't know, to be honest." I say. "It was fading, but...I don't know. You can check." I move my hair out of the way. She pulls back my dress a tiny bit to expose it to the camera.  
"It's gone." She's laughing, along with everyone else. "Now...lets get to the reason this is rated R." She says. "Your new music video."  
We had a kind if sex scene in it, but I had a bra and shorts on and he had jeans on. He was hovering above me and it looked like we were having sex but I was covered and we weren't. "Let's play it before we get into what we're all dying to know." She says.  
In the end, the people at home didn't know till they go back to us, but I am scrunched up in my chair, my face more red then humanly possible, my hands over my mouth. The audience is laughing.  
"So..." Ellen folds and unfolds a paper. "You alright?" She's trying not to laugh. I bite my lip and sit up. "You are really easily embarrassed." She laughs. I don't say anything because it so true. "So...was it awkward?" She asks.  
"I..." I cough and then clear my throat and then cough again. "You have no idea how long I've been avoiding having this conversation. I wouldn't even tell Johanna or Annie or Finn or anyone." I say.  
"And now your live on television and your telling everyone." She says.  
"I..." I cough again. "Sorry, I always do this when I'm nervous." I say. "Or embarrassed."  
"I do that too. So...was it awkward?" She repeats.  
"Um...I mean...no." I say.  
"Even with all the people around you. Watching you guys." She's pressuring me. "Were you naked?" she asks.  
"Um...no." I say. "I actually was in shorts and a strapless bra." A picture of Peeta hovering above me, our lips joined, is projected on the screen. My face grows extremely hot.  
"Was Peeta naked?" She asks.  
"He was in jeans." I say.  
"Oh. How many times did you purposely mess up the scene to keep kissing?" She asks. My eyes widen at the fact that she knows.  
"Um...we had to redo that scene like...I lost count how many times we had to redo that scene." I laugh nervous to myself.  
"And how many times did it make you want to have sex? And how many times did you have sex when you got back to the hotel." She asks.  
This is why it's rated R.  
"Um...none." I say.  
"I don't believe it for a second!" She says. "Do you guys believe it?" Everyone starts shouting no.  
"Well...okay fine I lied." I mumble.  
"How many times?" She asks.  
I start making a weird giggling now with my eyebrows creased, laughing at myself. It sounds like I'm gasping. Ellen starts laughing along with everyone else.  
"I lost count!" I exclaim. I'm so embarrassed it's not even funny.  
"Well...I wanted to give you this." She grabs something off the table and hands me a box. Of condoms.  
"Oh god," my face can't get any redder. I sit the box next to me.  
"What?" She asks. "Come on Katniss, tell us! Do you use those?" She nods at the condoms. "We have tons if other brands!" She starts handing me a ton if boxes.  
"We don't. Don't use...we don't use condoms."  
"And you only have one baby?"  
She asks. Her eyes drift to my stomach. "Well in that case..." She hands me a pregnancy test. "I say you go take it. Right now. We take a commercial and come back. Lets see the results!"  
She goes to commercial.  
"Your not seriously going to make me do this, right?" I ask frantically.  
"Oh come on. I'll wait outside the bathroom." She walks off. I follow her.  
She shuts me in the bathroom and waits outside the door, coming in the room with me when I'm done.  
"We're gonna have a camera man. If you don't want us to post the results, we won't." she says. "Maybe." she jokes.  
I know I'm not pregnant.  
We make small talk as the two minutes pass.  
"It's been two minutes." The camera person says. Both Ellen and I look down at the test, the camera positioning on it.  
My heart floods into my throat and explodes, Ellen actually gasps and the camera lady's eyes bulge. I stare at the test.  
Then I remember. I remember how.  
It was...June...June first. Yes! I got lost in the moment and. We both completely forgot I was out of Birth Control.  
Fuck. Ellen looks down at her watch. The lady shuts the camera off. "Just air the results. They're all gonna find out sooner or later." I'm pale. The camera lady walks off. My hands are sweating so badly.  
Ellen and I go back to our seats as they finish with the results.  
The audience is dead silent. Ellen is dead silent.  
I am in dead silence.  
"Is this a scam!" Someone shouts. The picture of the two little pink lines are projected for the whole world to see.  
"No." Ellen says. "Katniss...you don't look so happy." She says. I stare blankly at the wall. "Katniss!" She shakes my shoulder.  
"Sorry!" I gasp, panicked.  
"Are you mad?" She asks.  
"No I'm not mad I'm just in complete shock!" I exclaim.  
"What do you think your families reaction is?" She asks.  
I can't imagine it.  
"Um...all the girls are probably-no, a the girls are crying. Elizabeth is probably asleep upstairs. Ben and Mason are probably asleep. Haymitch probably doesn't have a reaction. He probably already knew. Finn is probably threatening Peeta that he better take care of me or something. Rye, Fraham, Nustice and Kegan are probably demanding if the sex was good and...Peeta..." I run my hands over my face. "I just hope he's not mad at me." I say.  
"Mad! Why would be be mad!" Ellen exclaims.  
"I don't know! Because I didn't tell him. Because he found out over TV. Because I'm not with him." I'm panicking.  
"Katniss...I hardly know Peeta, but...from what I do know. He probably isn't mad. And you just found out now anyways." She says.  
My phones ringtone fills the air and I have a million text messages.  
Johanna: OH MY GOD  
Annie: YOUR PREGNANT!  
Finn: DAMN KITTY  
Haymitch: I knew.  
It's ringing from Rye.  
"Who is it?" Ellen Peeta at my phone.  
"Rye." I mumble.  
"Answer it! Put it on speaker!" Ellen exclaims. I look up at her in panic and then sigh and press answer. I put it in speaker and hardly get out a simple "hello" before the cheering and screaming from my family fills the air.  
The only person I don't hear is Peeta. I can't get out a word.  
"H-" I try. "Hey-" I try again. My temper cuts off. "Shut up before I hang up!" Ellen laughs. My family goes silent. "Is he pissed?" I ask.  
"He doesn't know Kitty! He's at the store!" Finn exclaims.  
"He doesn't know?" I demand.  
"No! He's with Elizabeth at the store! None of them know!" He exclaims.  
"Listen." I begin. "Don't you dare tell him." I say.  
"He's bound to he-" Annie begins.  
"I don't care what someone tells him! Someone told him they found me dead in the street when I was on the phone with him. He won't believe them. Delete the damn recording and don't tell him. When I get home tomorrow, if he knows, so help me god..." I don't need to finish my sentence.  
"We won't tell." Mrs. Mellark promises.  
"Jo?" Silence.  
"Fine Brainless. I'll keep my damn mouth shut." She snaps.


End file.
